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WBSS: Naoya Inoue knocks out Juan Carlos Payano in opening round

Kiryl Relikh also moves into super-lightweight semi-finals with win over Eduard Troyanovsky

Sunday 7 October 2018 15:36, UK

YOKOHAMA, JAPAN - OCTOBER 07: Champion Naoya Inoue (L) of Japan knocks down challenger Juan Carlos Payano (R) of the Dominican Republic during the WBA bantamweight title bout as a part of the WBC Light Flyweight title bout at Yokohama Arena on October 7, 2018 in Yokohama, Kanagawa/

Naoya Inoue lived up to his nickname with a devastating knockout of Juan Carlos Payano in the opening round of the World Boxing Super Series bantamweight quarter-final.

'The Monster' took just over a minute to flatten his opponent, a straight left followed by a vicious right hook putting him flat on his back, in front of an expectant crowd at the Yokohama Arena, Yokohama, Japan.

Champion Naoya Inoue of Japan celebrates defeating Challenger Juan Carlos Payano of the Dominican Republic in round onees)
Image: Inoue retains the WBA title he took from McDonnell in May

Inoue is the No 2 seed and was defending the WBA bantamweight world title he took away from Britain's Jamie McDonnell in equally impressive style in May.

His first defence was expected to be a true test with Payano a former world champion who had only suffered a solitary loss, at the hands of the precocious Rau'shee Warren, in 2016.

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Inoue is already a three-weight world champion in just 17 fights and need a couple of range-finding shots before setting up another sensational finish, his 15th knockout win.

'The Monster' is now waiting to see who he faces in the WBSS semi-final, knowing it will be a unification fight against either IBF bantamweight champion Emmanuel Rodriguez, who goes up against Jason Moloney, in Orlando, on October 20.

Japan's Naoya Inoue (L) and Juan Carlos Payano
Image: Inoue took less than a round to see off Payano

British stars Ryan Burnett is the other WBA title holder and faces fans' favourite Nonito Donaire in Glasgow in November, alongside Scottish super-lightweight sensation Josh Taylor.

Also See:

The other Season Two quarter-final saw WBA super-lightweight Kiryl Relikh retain his title and progress to the semi-finals with a unanimous points win over Eduard Troyanovsky, all three judges scoring it 115-113.

Champion Kiryl Relikh of Belarus celebrates after defeating Challenger Eduard Troyanovsky of Russia during the WBA bantamweight title bout
Image: Relikh eased into the WBSS semi-finals with a points win

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