Naoya Inoue Welcomed at Featherweight by Brandon Figueroa

Naoya Inoue's future path is coming into focus, with a potential move to featherweight drawing a direct challenge from champion Brandon Figueroa, while a long-delayed mandatory challenger has finally emerged at super bantamweight.

Brandon Figueroa Welcomes Inoue to Featherweight

WBA featherweight champion Brandon Figueroa has explicitly stated he is ready to face Naoya Inoue at 126 pounds. Figueroa, who defends his title against Tomoki Kameda on October 17 in Las Vegas, addressed the possibility at a recent press conference. "Welcome to the 126-pound division," Figueroa said. "And I'm more than willing to welcome him into it." Inoue has previously hinted at a move to featherweight, mentioning Figueroa's unique style. Such a jump would require the Japanese star to vacate his undisputed super bantamweight championship, a collection of the IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO 122-pound titles he currently holds.

Sam Goodman Finally Secures Mandatory Position

A key obstacle at super bantamweight has been cleared. On September 27 in Tokyo, Australia's Sam Goodman defeated Ryosuke Nishida to claim the IBF interim world super bantamweight title. This victory, a year and nine months after their fight was twice cancelled due to cuts over Goodman's left eye, officially positions him as the mandatory challenger for Inoue's IBF belt. The two fighters met briefly backstage the day before Goodman's bout, a reminder of the unfinished business between them. Goodman's record now stands at 24 fights, 23 wins, and 1 loss.

Looking Back at Inoue's First Title Win

Inoue's current status as a four-division undisputed champion was built on foundational wins like his first professional title. In just his fourth pro fight at age 20, he faced Japanese light flyweight champion Ryoichi Taguchi, who was already ranked 3rd in the world. The bout, held in Inoue's hometown of Zama, went the full 10 rounds for the first time in his career. He won a unanimous decision, capturing the Japanese title and proving he could win on points against a seasoned, world-class operator. That 2013 victory was the moment he transformed from a powerful prospect into a legitimate champion.

• Featherweight Callout: WBA champion Brandon Figueroa has publicly invited Naoya Inoue to move up to 126lbs, a challenge Inoue has previously acknowledged.
• Mandatory Set: Sam Goodman's win on September 27 makes him the official IBF mandatory challenger for Inoue's super bantamweight crown.
• Historic Foundation: Inoue's championship pedigree was established early, winning a Japanese title in just his fourth fight by outpointing future unified world champion Ryoichi Taguchi.