Naoya Inoue vs Luis Nery Picks, Predictions, and Odds: The Monster Mauls His Opponent

Naoya Inoue's continued dominance is truly remarkable. The Japanese living legend appears unchallenged at 122 pounds, and he could potentially move up to 126 and run the table uncontested as well. Many thought Inoue would at least face some resistance against Stephen Fulton when he entered the division — mainly due to Fulton's slickness — but Inoue truly looks unstoppable. That doesn't bode well for Nery, especially as he may have a target on his back.

A few years back, Nery gained infamy in Japan for his two dubious victories over the long-reigning 118-pound champion Yamanaka. Nery was flagged for testing positive for a trace amount of a banned substance in the first fight and came in three pounds over the limit in the rematch.

Nery won by knockout both times, lowering his profile as a whole, including an indefinite ban from the Japanese Boxing Commission that was lifted for this fight. Though Nery made the jump to 122 pounds, he was mauled and stopped by Brandon Figueroa and hasn't looked as strong as he did when draining down to 118.

Nery is a punch magnet, and he opts to fight as an aggressor thanks to the size advantages he's enjoyed in the lighter divisions. He and Inoue are roughly the same size, and giving Inoue any sort of opening is disastrous. I wouldn't doubt Inoue comes into this fight wanting to make an example of Nery, and unless he suffers a cut in the early rounds or walks into a wicked shot from nowhere, he'll do just that in a painful exhibition of his skill and power.

Nery gets hit hard and often, and while he's never out of the fight, he's having to work harder than we've seen previously. Figueroa battered him to the body to earn a seventh-round stoppage, and he was very lucky to outpoint Carlos Castro in the follow-up fight. He's continued to be an action fighter, which is what will cause his early downfall to Inoue.

There is no way Nery makes it to the second half of the fight, let alone within striking distance of an upset if he gets hit as often as he does in his recent fights. Inoue's body attack is what may do him in as Nery tries to swarm and smother him, and he'll get the worst of any two-way exchanges. While Nery is as tough as nails, brute strength alone isn't going to take him far if he doesn't have a pronounced size advantage over Inoue.

This is, unfortunately, the only course of action for Nery, and Inoue will be right on top of him from the opening bell. Mixing his strikes to the head and body, made increasingly available to him as Nery bravely presses forward in hopes of landing a momentum-changing shot, the Mexican will wear down under Inoue's assault and will look overwhelmed in short order.