Unbeaten three division champion Naoya “Monster” Inoue (23-0) is looking to add another belt to his resume, as he takes on WBO bantamweight champion Paul Butler (36-2) this Tuesday, December 13 at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan. The winner will become the undisputed champ of the weight class.
How to watch Naoya Inoue vs. Paul Butler
The preliminary card is set to get underway at 2:30 a.m. ET. Ring walks for Inoue and Butler are estimated for 6 a.m. ET, depending on the length of the undercard.
The fight is going to be broadcast on ESPN+ — meaning you’ll need a subscription in order to watch the event. You can subscribe to ESPN+ on the ESPN website, where a monthly subscription for $5.99, or get the ESPN/Disney/Hulu bundle for $13.99 per month. Once you’ve got a valid login, you can watch the bout with WatchESPN or on the ESPN app.
Fighter history
Inoue currently holds the WBA, IBF, Ring, and WBC bantamweight titles. He is a knockout artist, boasting a knockout ratio of 87% and with a win in this bout he will secure his fourth title in the bantamweight division. In his last fight he won via a second round TKO over Nonito Donaire to secure the WBC bantamweight title. He now has his eyes on the WBO title.
Opposite him stands the current WBO bantamweight champion Paul Butler, who is very polished and can compete at many levels. Butler once held the IBF belt briefly in 2014-15, this is a big opportunity for him to return back to that form. In his last fight, Butler defeated Jonas Sultan by unanimous decision to capture the then vacant WBO bantamweight title.
Inoue is a -800 favorite to win the bout at DraftKings Sportsbook, while Lopez is a +1300 underdog. Inoue to win by KO/TKO/DQ is favored on the line at -2500.
Full card for Naoya Inoue vs. Paul Butler
- Main event: Naoya Inoue vs. Paul Butler, 12 rounds, for undisputed bantamweight championship
- Yoshiki Takei vs. Bruno Tarimo, 12 rounds, junior featherweight
- Andy Hiraoka vs. Min Ho Jung, 12 rounds, junior welterweight
- Takuma Inoue vs. Jake Bornea, 10 rounds, featherweight
- Satoshi Shimizu vs. Landy Cris Leon, 8 rounds, junior lightweight
- Hironori Miyake vs. Peter McGrail, 8 rounds, featherweight