Naoya Inoue powers to WBO, WBC junior featherweight titles - ESPN

Naoya Inoue cemented himself as the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world with a destructive performance: an eighth-round TKO of Stephen Fulton on Tuesday in Tokyo to claim the WBO and WBC junior featherweight titles.

Inoue, who was fighting at 122 pounds for the first time, dominated the first seven rounds before he wobbled Fulton with a monstrous right hand followed by a brutal left hook that sent him crashing to the canvas. The Philadelphian beat the count on unsteady legs, and Inoue capitalized.

The Japanese star trapped Fulton in the corner and unloaded with a barrage of shots that dropped the champion, as the referee halted the bout.

With one of the most impressive victories of his career, Inoue (25-0, 22 KOs) became a four-division champion (he won his first title at 108 pounds) and unseated ESPN's No. 1 boxer at 122 pounds in dominant fashion.

«The Monster» then welcomed Marlon Tapales into the ring. The Filipino holds the WBA and IBF titles at 122 pounds, and the pair are expected to meet this fall for the undisputed junior featherweight championship.

«Everything I was thinking about was to fight him this year,» Inoue said in translated remarks. "… I am so happy right now."

Inoue, 30, won the undisputed bantamweight championship in December with an 11th-round KO of Paul Butler. He was then set to meet Fulton on May 7 before he suffered a knuckle injury that postponed the fight.

When they finally stepped through the ropes more than two months later, Inoue dominated from the opening bell. He established his pinpoint jab in Round 1, firing it to the body and head.

Fulton (21-1, 8 KOs) was hesitant to open up, likely because of the speed disparity. He covered up as Inoue blitzed him but also outboxed him from