- Naoya Inoue vs Bam Rodriguez is reportedly being targeted for January 2027 in Japan as part of Riyadh Season
- Bam Rodriguez has just become a three-division champion, strengthening the case for the superfight
- Bam has floated facing Takuma Inoue first — but the prize the sport wants is Naoya
Right Then — This Is The One Worth Getting Excited About
Right then, forget the heavyweight politics for five minutes, because the best fight that can be made in boxing right now lives in the little weights. Naoya Inoue against Bam Rodriguez is reportedly being lined up for January 2027 in Japan, wrapped into Riyadh Season. If you know, you know — this is the superfight the hardcore have been begging for.
And after Saturday, when Bam Rodriguez became a three-division champion in Glendale, the case got a whole lot stronger.
Why This Inoue Fight Is Different
We throw the word "superfight" around far too easily. This one earns it. Naoya Inoue is the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet for a lot of good judges — a four-division undisputed champion with frightening power and a boxing brain to match. He doesn't just beat people, he dismantles them.
But Bam Rodriguez is the one man at the weight who looks like he has the tools to genuinely trouble him. Southpaw, slick, brilliant feet, and now proven across three divisions. That's not a mismatch. That's a proper fight between two of the most gifted technicians in the world, and that's exactly why it's so mouth-watering.
The Takuma Subplot
There's a twist. Bam has floated the idea of fighting Takuma Inoue — Naoya's younger brother and the reigning WBC bantamweight champion — before he gets to Naoya. He called it the "perfect storyline": beat one brother, then go after the other. I get the romance of it, and Takuma is a legitimate champion, not a soft touch. But let's be honest, nobody's paying Riyadh-level money for the warm-up. They want Naoya.
My Prediction
I'll not sit on the fence. If this happens in January 2027, I make Inoue the favourite — his power travels and he's the more proven finisher. But I think Bam Rodriguez makes it desperately close, and I wouldn't be remotely shocked if he pulled off the upset and announced himself as the new face of the lower weights. Either way, get it signed. The sport needs it.