Inoue Confirms Rodriguez Fight Not Essential

Naoya Inoue has taken his first extended mental break in years and says a potential showdown with Jesse Rodriguez is far from essential.

The unified super bantamweight champion, ranked No. 1 pound-for-pound, told The Ring in an exclusive interview that he's weighing a move to featherweight if the Rodriguez fight falls through next spring. "I don't want to spend the last two or three years of my career simply playing it safe," Inoue said, per the magazine. "I want to move up another division and continue challenging myself."

Inoue confirmed he watched Rodriguez's June 13 bantamweight debut against Antonio Vargas in full. He noted Rodriguez looked physically diminished but still produced a knockout through accuracy rather than power. "His strength isn't really about physical power. He has the ability to punch through you with pinpoint accuracy," Inoue said. He dismissed talk of a size advantage, calling the physical gap between them smaller than observers claim.

The 32-year-old has not fought since his decision win over Junto Nakatani at the Tokyo Dome in May. He said making 122 pounds remains manageable but that super bantamweight no longer offers opponents who excite him. A Rodriguez bout could land in February or March if terms come together, but Inoue adopted the same stance he took before facing Nakatani — if it doesn't happen on his timeline, he'll move on.

At featherweight, Inoue named Rafael Espinoza and Brandon Figueroa as the most intriguing stylistic puzzles, citing their unusual rhythms and angles. He said he wants two fights in 2027 and expects featherweight to close his career.