"Naoya Inoue is boxing's fixer. The peerless 122-pound Nippon warrior shows up after one-ring circuses soil the fight game, as last week's hyper-moneyed breaking of Jake Paul's jaw surely did, to remind fans how pretty this most brutal of sports can sometimes be. On Saturday night in Riyadh, Inoue artfully pummeled previously unbeaten David Picasso about the head and breadbasket for 12 near-perfect rounds while retaining his undisputed super-bantamweight championship and enhancing his aura of indomitableness."
"Picasso, a 25-year-old Mexican fighter who entered the ring with a 32-0-1 record, had noticeable height and reach advantages over Inoue, and attempted to put them to use throughout. But it was clear from the opening bell that Picasso was no match for the Tokyo-based Inoue, 32. The Monster 's body attack was particularly ruthless and effective; at several points in the fight Picasso clearly gasped after taking an Inoue left hook to the right kidney."
Naoya Inoue artfully pummeled previously unbeaten David Picasso about the head and breadbasket for 12 near-perfect rounds in Riyadh, retaining the undisputed super-bantamweight championship. Picasso entered with a 32-0-1 record and possessed noticeable height and reach advantages, but he was clearly outmatched from the opening bell. Inoue's body attack proved particularly ruthless; at several points Picasso gasped after taking an Inoue left hook to the right kidney. Compubox recorded Inoue landing 96 body punches, including 55 power shots. Between rounds Picasso told his trainer that the body shots were hurting badly but continued to engage. Inoue shrugged off a 10th-round uppercut and reinforced his aura of indomitability.
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