A stamp approval from boxing’s only eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao is not to be taken lightly.
The Filipino fighting sensation remains one of the sport’s most respected voices, and although he fought for a world title last year and plans to continue to star in main events for the foreseeable, he also has an eye on the sport as a veteran.
In a recent interview with Vibe, Pacquiao was asked which active fighters he enjoys watching most, and Nayoa Inoue was at the top of his list.
“I love to watch Inoue. Yeah, Inoue, the Japanese guy.”
“He’s fast, and he has his footwork, but I told him before when he wasn’t a champion. He asked me about what’s better to train, and I told him footwork.”
“When you have footwork, you can control your opponent. You can properly throw your combination punches without losing balance.”
In the eyes of many, Inoue has established himself as boxing’s pound-for-pound best fighter, becoming an undisputed champion in two weight divisions while earning a reputation as one of the sport’s most devastating finishers.
In May, the Japanese superstar successfully defended his four super-bantamweight belts with a unanimous decision victory over the previously unbeaten Junto Nakatani in front of a sell-out crowd of around 55,000 at the Tokyo Dome.
He is now on a collision course with Jesse Rodriguez, his last planned fight at this weight before he moves up one final time before retirement.
With both Pacquiao and Inoue renowned for their explosive combinations, aggressive mentality and thrilling fighting styles, it is perhaps no surprise that the Hall of Famer sees elements of greatness in ‘The Monster’ – even if he still believes no one truly fights quite like he did.
