Japan's superstar knockout artist Naoya Inoue (27-0, 24 KOs) lost his WBA, WBC, IBF, Successfully defended four WBO super bantamweight belts. , 27KO).
In the first round, Inoue was hit by a powerful left punch to the head from Neri, sending him crashing to the canvas. But Inoue came back and took on the 29-year-old Neri, stopping him in the seventh round.
The contest was officially stopped by referee Michael Griffin at 1:22 of the sixth round.
Naoya Inoue, first knockdown of his career
The fight got off to an unexpected start, with Lewis Nelly catching Naoya Inoue in the head with a picture-perfect left that sent him tumbling to the canvas for the first time in his career. I've seen Inoue get injured before, but never like this. There he was in trouble for a moment.
The few pro-Neli fans at ringside sat in ecstasy at the moment, reeking of dismay as they celebrated a little prematurely. Inoue looked bad when he got up and was ready to be finished by the powerful Mexican southpaw, but he showed he could do whatever he could.
Inoue returns the favor in the second round
Inoue got up and composed himself. His power was still there, even if his legs and feeling weren't quite 100% after the asteroid impact from the moment of Nelly's hard attack in the first round.
In the second round, “Monster” Inoue tied the score, landing a powerful shot on Neri and returning to the fight with a knockdown. Suddenly, Nellie didn't look so confident anymore. He probably knew he would let his prey off the hook and miss his chance.
Inoue continues his fierce attack in the 5th round
By the fifth, Neri started hitting a lot of hard shots and was hit straight into the pipe with a leaden right hand. One of those, a short left hook, sent Nelly down by the seat of his pants for the second time in the fight. Inoue knocked Nelly down with two consecutive short left hooks.
Inoue tried to get the job done, but his shot missed, and while he did get a shot, it didn't have the same power that overwhelmed Nelly.
This knockdown showed Inoue was too much for Neri, who was battered and battered and had nothing left in the match at that point. It was like watching a replay of Neri's previous loss three years ago. He is dangerous early on, but becomes vulnerable after the first few rounds.
Inoue secures victory, but future at featherweight remains uncertain
“Monster” Inoue hit a meteoric shot in the sixth inning, slamming Nelly to the canvas and finishing the job. Neri was caught in the ropes and was unable to escape during the final barrage of attacks. Referee Michael Griffin waved it off, giving Inoue the victory.