British fighter Jamie McDonnell was brutally knocked out in Japan this afternoon to lose his WBA Bantamweight world title in the first round.
Away from home, the Doncaster fighter was unable to live with the brilliant Naoya Inoue who picked up his third world title in three different weight classes in just his 16th professional fight. Inoue started the fight as the strong favourite but ending the fight as quickly as the first round was above and beyond what most had expected against a durable champion in McDonnell.
Known as "the monster", Inoue had built up a fearsome reputation and on this basis it is easy to see why. The little Japanese fighter was simply too quick and too powerful for McDonnell who clearly looked drained at the weight having only just snuck inside the bantamweight division.
McDonnell will now step up in weight but the focus will be on Inoue who clearly has the potential to be one of the most exciting fighters on the planet.
A relative novice, the 25-year-old is now set to enter a stacked Bantamweight WBSS and few would bet against the new world champion sweeping through that event over the next couple of years.
McDonnell was unable to live with the barrage of punches from the new star of the sport with the referring calling the bout off with the British fighter on the deck for a second time inside the first round to the delight of the Tokyo crowd. Japan has a new boxing star and on this evidence Inoue could prove to be a world star who is only just beginning to make his way in Boxing.
