Newly crowned World Boxing Council and World Boxing Organization super bantamweight champion Naoya ‘’the Monster’’ Inoue of Ohashi Boxing Gym said on July 26 at the gym he will remain at super bantamweight ‘’for about three years.’’

  Speaking before a group of reporters at the Yokohama-based gym, the 30-year-old Inoue, who wrested the titles from Stephen Fulton of the United States with a devastating eighth-round technical knockout the previous night in Tokyo, said, ‘’I think it would take for about three years to gain muscle, and I, therefore, want to stay in the super bantamweight at least until I come to have difficulties in maintaining the division’s weight.’’ Inoue thus brushed aside the oft-reported idea of moving up to featherweight soon.

  Inoue is expected to face World Boxing Association super and International Boxing Federation super bantamweight kingpin Marlon Tapales of the Philippines within this year to unify the division’s titles.

  ‘’Since I had an adrenaline rush at night, I could not sleep a wink (last night).’’ This goes to show the kind of enthusiasm I had for the fight (with Fulton), ‘’ added Inoue, Japan’s second boxer to win world titles in four different weight divisions (following reigning WBA super flyweight champion Kazuto Ioka of Shisei Boxing Gym).

  In this connection, Hideyuki Ohashi, head of the gym, said, ‘’After unifying the titles of the four sanctioning bodies (at super bantamweight), it would be better for him to take on (former three-division world champion) John Riel Casimero of the Philippines and (former two-division world kingpin) Luis Nery of Mexico next year.’’

What Ohashi meant was they are well known in Japan (both in a good way and a bad way) and are ranked higher in the super bantamweight division, according to boxing experts. Nery is the WBC’s designated challenger for the division.

  ‘’If and when Inoue goes through these fights, I think it would be interesting for him to face WBO featherweight champion Robeisy Ramirez of Cuba for his title.’’ Ramirez retained the title in the chief supporting card for the Fulton-Inoue fight by demolishing Inoue’s stablemate Satoshi Shimizu in the fifth round.