I predicted this 
http://forums.sherdog.com/threads/n...-december-30-31.3682079/page-4#post-137107245
Hopefully he avenges his countrymen, then faces Burnett, then unifies against Tete. That'd be my gameplan. Beating the WBA Regular champ he gets an automatic shot at Burnett the Super champ, who also holds the IBF belt.
Naoya Inoue vs. Jamie McDonnell Showdown Being Finalized
http://www.boxingscene.com/naoya-inoue-vs-jamie-mcdonnell-showdown-being-finalized--125254
It was reported by Sky Sports this morning that the WBA ‘world’ champion at bantamweight, Jamie McDonnell (29-2-1 13 KO) of England is close to finalizing a deal with Japan’s Naoya Inoue (15-0 13 KOs). Eddie Hearn, the Englishman’s promoter, was quoted as saying: “I’m hoping we can close [the deal] this week.”
Naoya Inoue, the WBO super flyweight champion, will be moving up in weight and fighting at 118lbs for the first time. The decision to move up to bantamweight was based in large part to trouble making the super flyweight limit of 115lbs combined with the fact it was no longer worth the effort after he could not secure a unification fight with any of the division’s other champions, including Hearn’s own Kal Yafai.
Only wanting to fight top competition, Inoue’s handler Hideyuki Ohashi told me on prior occasions that he has made substantial offers to a number of recognizable names at the super flyweight division but obviously to no avail.
For McDonnell, he was expected to move up to super bantamweight after his last fight. Hearn explained: “Jamie originally planned to move up after the Liborio Solis fight but this is a huge fight and he loves the idea of the challenge.” McDonnell has two blemishes on his record but those came in succession over nine years ago. Since then he’s racked up 21 consecutive wins and a no-decision in his last fight (head-butt). During that span he also won the IBF’s bantamweight championship but was later stripped of the title for not agreeing to fight his mandatory in a timely fashion.
McDonnell has held the WBA title since beating Tabitimdaeng Na Rachawat by a 10th round knockout on May 31, 2014. McDonnell has defended the title 6 times. The WBA ‘super’ champion at the same weight is Ryan Burnett. Burnett is also promoted by Eddie Hearn. Matching those two up to determine the WBA’s true champion seems logical but the WBA instead ordered Burnett to face somebody else – a disappointment for English boxing fans who’ll enjoy the pleasure of Burnett’s participation on the next Anthony Joshua undercard but not McDonnell’s. One man’s loss is another’s gain for Inoue.
The Inoue-McDonnell fight would take place in Japan where it could attract a healthy gate due to Inoue’s continuing rising star in the land of the rising sun. McDonnell adds to the local intrigue as he’s already aquatinted with the Japanese boxing community. In 2015, he handed previously undefeated Tomoki Kameda consecutive losses.
A date in May is being discussed for the matchup. McDonnell suffered a terrible cut in his last fight, a rematch with Liborio Solis, and needs time for that to heal properly.
http://forums.sherdog.com/threads/n...-december-30-31.3682079/page-4#post-137107245
Hopefully he avenges his countrymen, then faces Burnett, then unifies against Tete. That'd be my gameplan. Beating the WBA Regular champ he gets an automatic shot at Burnett the Super champ, who also holds the IBF belt.
Naoya Inoue vs. Jamie McDonnell Showdown Being Finalized
http://www.boxingscene.com/naoya-inoue-vs-jamie-mcdonnell-showdown-being-finalized--125254
It was reported by Sky Sports this morning that the WBA ‘world’ champion at bantamweight, Jamie McDonnell (29-2-1 13 KO) of England is close to finalizing a deal with Japan’s Naoya Inoue (15-0 13 KOs). Eddie Hearn, the Englishman’s promoter, was quoted as saying: “I’m hoping we can close [the deal] this week.”
Naoya Inoue, the WBO super flyweight champion, will be moving up in weight and fighting at 118lbs for the first time. The decision to move up to bantamweight was based in large part to trouble making the super flyweight limit of 115lbs combined with the fact it was no longer worth the effort after he could not secure a unification fight with any of the division’s other champions, including Hearn’s own Kal Yafai.
Only wanting to fight top competition, Inoue’s handler Hideyuki Ohashi told me on prior occasions that he has made substantial offers to a number of recognizable names at the super flyweight division but obviously to no avail.
For McDonnell, he was expected to move up to super bantamweight after his last fight. Hearn explained: “Jamie originally planned to move up after the Liborio Solis fight but this is a huge fight and he loves the idea of the challenge.” McDonnell has two blemishes on his record but those came in succession over nine years ago. Since then he’s racked up 21 consecutive wins and a no-decision in his last fight (head-butt). During that span he also won the IBF’s bantamweight championship but was later stripped of the title for not agreeing to fight his mandatory in a timely fashion.
McDonnell has held the WBA title since beating Tabitimdaeng Na Rachawat by a 10th round knockout on May 31, 2014. McDonnell has defended the title 6 times. The WBA ‘super’ champion at the same weight is Ryan Burnett. Burnett is also promoted by Eddie Hearn. Matching those two up to determine the WBA’s true champion seems logical but the WBA instead ordered Burnett to face somebody else – a disappointment for English boxing fans who’ll enjoy the pleasure of Burnett’s participation on the next Anthony Joshua undercard but not McDonnell’s. One man’s loss is another’s gain for Inoue.
The Inoue-McDonnell fight would take place in Japan where it could attract a healthy gate due to Inoue’s continuing rising star in the land of the rising sun. McDonnell adds to the local intrigue as he’s already aquatinted with the Japanese boxing community. In 2015, he handed previously undefeated Tomoki Kameda consecutive losses.
A date in May is being discussed for the matchup. McDonnell suffered a terrible cut in his last fight, a rematch with Liborio Solis, and needs time for that to heal properly.
