On May 6th, Mexican star Luis Nery will enter the Tokyo Dome arena to face perhaps the toughest challenge in world boxing. His opponent is Naoya Inoue, a rampaging knockout artist and undisputed super bantamweight champion.
Neri (35-1, 27 KOs) is used to fighting at an elite level. The 32-year-old left-hander is a two-division world champion, holding WBC belts at bantamweight and super bantamweight. Inoue could face a tough fight on his home turf as his challenger is fast, powerful and versatile.
clock: Naoya Inoue vs Luis Neri, exclusive to ESPN+
But not all of Neri's career has been glittering. Until recently, the former champion was banned from fighting in Japan and needed approval from the local committee to face Inoue. Thankfully, it was approved and fans around the world can look forward to this potentially thrilling showdown.
But why on earth was Nelly banned from competing in Japan? Sporting News delves into Neri's checkered past.
Why was Lewis Nery banned from competing in Japan?
In 2017, Neri delivered a brutal fourth round stoppage of longtime bantamweight champion Shinsuke Yamanaka. The situation then escalated when it was revealed that Nelly had tested positive for a banned substance (zilpaterol) in a pre-match test. Ring Magazine stripped Neri of the championship, but the WBC stood by the Tijuana star.
”[The WBC] “We cannot determine with sufficient certainty whether Mr. Neri's adverse findings were the result of intentional ingestion of a prohibited substance to enhance performance,” the WBC said in a statement via ESPN. “All information and facts lead us to conclude that there were adverse findings.” It is caused by eating contaminated food. ”
Read more: Should Naoya Inoue fight in the US?
Neri filed a sworn statement with the WBC explaining that he ingested a large amount of beef during training camp, which caused him to test positive. Various sources have confirmed that some farms in Mexico were using zilpaterol to increase the size of their cattle.
However, the controversy did not end there. A rematch between Neri and Yamanaka took place seven months later, with the Japanese fighter being knocked out in the second round. Although Neri was more than three pounds shy of the bantamweight limit at the time of the weigh-in, Yamanaka agreed to continue the bout.
The Japanese commission was outraged by Neri's actions and banned him from fighting in the country for life.
Why is Lewis Nery allowed to compete in Japan despite being permanently suspended?
We can only speculate as to why the Japan Boxing Commission would allow Louis Nery to fight again in the country, but there is one popular theory.
Neri defeated veteran Yamanaka twice under the wrong circumstances when the Japanese champion was in the final stages of his career. Reportedly, that did not sit well with those in power.
If there's a fighter designed to take revenge on a country, it's their pugilistic hero, Naoya Inoue. “The Monster” is one of the best fighters in the world today, a fearsome puncher, and the heavy favorite to win this bout.
Inoue denied the revenge angle.