One of the most must-see fighters in boxing, Naoya Inoue, hits the ring this Saturday. But don’t just watch him, bet on Inoue’s showdown with title-holder Stephen Fulton too. We’ll help out by offering three free picks on the bout, from a prop to who wins straight up. Keep reading for expert betting advice!
- What: Stephen Fulton vs. Naoya Inoue
- When: Saturday, July 25
- Where: Ariake Arena in Tokyo
Inoue Vs. Fulton Preview
We begin our Inoue-Fulton preview with the challenger: Inoue is a human highlight reel, but a relatively unknown one at that. The recently-turned 30-year-old is one of the least-known second-ranked pound-for-pound boxers in history. He’s 24-0 with a heart-pounding 21 KOs. Inoue is indeed a big puncher — a dangerous trait for someone as fast as him. Only four times has he fought outside of Japan, which is why his greatness has flown under the radar.
This next fight is again in Japan, but a formidable test for Inoue. That’s because Inoue is moving up to 122 pounds for the first time to face the division’s WBC and WBO champion (he vacated four 118-pound belts to do so).
Fulton also has an 0 in his loss column. The Philly native is a perfect 21-0. For what Fulton lacks in power (only eight career wins have been by KO), Fulton makes up for it in punching output. It’s not uncommon for the title holder to throw as many as 1,000 punches per fight. Seriously!
This is without a doubt Inoue’s toughest challenge. The same goes for Fulton. However, despite that, the top boxing betting sites have firmly made the challenger the betting favorite. Here are the current Inoue-Fulton odds:
Inoue vs. Fulton Betting Picks
There’s a handful of Inoue-Fulton bets available. However, we suggest honing in on a select few. After pouring through the betting list, the three bets we have the MOST conviction on are as follows:
Moneyline:
We don’t think the odds are reflective of how close this fight truly is. This is a serious step up in competition for Inoue — both given Fulton’s caliber, but also the added weight. The only major advantage Inoue has, in our opinion, is the power. But the question is, does he lose a touch of power in the new weight class? It’s certainly possible.
Outside of power, these two are quite evenly matched. Fulton is just as fast of a puncher as Inoue. Moreover, the champion’s work rate is superior. He’s going to come at you relentlessly, which actually might be what Inoue wants. The Japanese star will take any opportunity he can get at sleeping an opponent given his KO power.
It would not shock us in the slightest if Fulton can scored the upset. With that said, we still think Inoue will win. We’ll explain why in our next bet, but if you’re feeling risky, it might be worth throwing some money at Fulton. His odds are disrespectful of his skill level.
Over/Under 10.5 Rounds
We have Inoue winning, but he’s going to have to work for it. If Fulton can avoid the knockdown, then he should be able to outpoint Inoue. However, that’s very big if given the danger Inoue presents with his power and weirdly-angles blows.
Here’s what we believe is the X-factor: Fulton’s footwork. It’s good, but it’ll have to be great to avoid getting trapped by Inoue. If Fulton gets backed up and put in a precarious position, he’ll be at great risk of going down. Our belief is Inoue gets a late knockdown so bet the over, which leads us to our final bet.
Prop Bet
Here’s a bit of a crapshoot bet. It’s a prop bet focused on not only picking the winner (hard enough as is), but also the method of victory (even harder). Naturally, there are more betting options and way more spread-out odds, as seen below:
| Outcome |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inoue By Stoppage | +110 | +110 | +110 |
| Inoue By Decision | +210 | +210 | +210 |
| Fulton By Stoppage | +900 | +900 | +900 |
| Fulton By Decision | +400 | +400 | +400 |
| Draw | +1400 | +1400 | +1400 |
Alright, we’ve predicted an Inoue knockdown late — but we don’t necessarily mean that’ll keep Fulton down for good. It could very well end up being a 10-8 round only. In fact, that’s our exact prediction. Heck, Inoue might get two of those. And if so, that’ll tilt the scorecards his way. We got Inoue winning a close bout by a decision as our final pick.
How To Bet On Inoue vs. Fulton
Make sure to get your Inoue-Fulton bets in early. Remember, this one is going down in Tokyo — not the United States. Therefore, it’ll take place in the wee hours of Saturday morning for those stateside, not the usual night-time fight. We don’t want you sleeping through these betting opportunities!
Speaking of which, to do just that, visit one of the bookmakers listed below. As detailed in our latest sportsbook reviews, these featured sites are industry leaders, especially for fighting odds. Plus, the sites offer big-money sign-up bonuses too — upwards of $2500 in free play at some places. With that type of money, all your Inoue vs. Fulton bets could be completely free.
