Undisputed world super bantamweight boxing champion Naoya Inoue has described April 6, the date he won his first world title 10 years ago, as his second birthday.
"April 6 is like my birthday, and it's been 10 years as I've continued my speedy run," Inoue, nicknamed "Monster," said in a statement issued for Saturday.
Inoue will turn 31 on Wednesday, but on April 6, 2014, his career as a world champion was born when he dethroned WBC light flyweight champion Adrian Hernandez of Mexico with a sixth-round technical knockout in Tokyo.
Inoue has since won world championships in four weight divisions and has become the second man in boxing history to be a two-weight undisputed champion in the four-belt era, after Terence Crawford of the United States.
Regarding the past decade, Inoue said, "I didn't feel any particular pressure. There's no looking back yet since I still have a long way to go."
Inoue is scheduled to defend his four super bantamweight titles against Mexican challenger Luis Nery on May 6 at Tokyo Dome. Inoue is 26-0 as a pro with 23 knockouts, while Nery is 35-1 with 27 KOs.
"I'm getting into amazing physical condition," he said of his preparations for the fight.
Related coverage:
Boxing: Naoya Inoue, Luis Nery to fight in Tokyo Dome on May 6
Multimedia special: The Monster Naoya Inoue
Boxing: "Monster" Inoue 1st Japanese to win prestigious boxing award
