Naoya Inoue Set to Defend Titles Against Late Replacement Ye Joon Kim

Inoue's original opponent, Sam Goodman, withdrew due to injury, leaving South Korea's Kim to step in for Friday's bout in Tokyo.

Naoya Inoue, the undefeated Japanese boxer with a 28-0 record, will defend his IBF, WBC, WBO, and WBA super bantamweight titles against South Korea's Ye Joon Kim on January 24 at Tokyo's Ariake Arena.
Kim, a last-minute replacement ranked 11th by the WBO, was brought in after Sam Goodman withdrew due to a recurring eye injury requiring plastic surgery.
Inoue, widely regarded as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, is heavily favored in the match, with betting odds strongly against Kim.
This fight marks Inoue's third defense of his undisputed 122-pound championship and could set the stage for his planned return to the U.S. and a potential bout in Saudi Arabia later this year.
Kim, with a 21-2-2 record, is making his first world title challenge and has expressed confidence despite the significant challenge of facing Inoue.