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Naoya Inoue announces move to featherweight, Bam Rodriguez promoter responds

Naoya Inoue has announced on social media he will move up to the featherweight division instead of "waiting for" Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez.

Published: Tuesday, 13 October 2026 at 3:16 PM
Naoya Inoue announces move to featherweight, Bam Rodriguez promoter responds
Key Things to Know
  • Naoya Inoue announced plans to move up to featherweight rather than wait to fight Jesse 'Bam' Rodriguez.
  • Promoter Eddie Hearn responded on social media, claiming his side is ready to fight Inoue.
  • Trainer Robert Garcia previously proposed targeting April or May 2027 for a Rodriguez-Inoue clash.
The Story in 60 Seconds

Naoya Inoue announced on social media that he intends to move up to featherweight instead of waiting to fight Jesse 'Bam' Rodriguez. Inoue stated that he had grown tired of waiting for Rodriguez to finalize plans for a showdown, prompting an immediate response from Rodriguez's promoter, Matchroom Boxing's Eddie Hearn.

Hearn challenged Inoue's assertion publicly, stating that their team was ready for the fight and questioned who was waiting. Rodriguez's trainer and manager, Robert Garcia, had previously suggested aiming for an encounter in April or May of 2027 following an intervening bout at 118 pounds.

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