Can Jason Maloney upset the Monster?

The question going into Saturday night’s fight between Japan’s Naoya “Monster” Inoue and Jason Maloney from Australia, is whether Maloney can upset the “Monster” or even last the distance.

The two fighters will clash for the WBA and IBF bantamweight belts at The Bubble in the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

The 27-year-old Inoue (19-0; 16) has won eight of his last contests inside the distance, and in his most recent fight on 7 November last year, in the final of the World Boxing Super Series, he was taken the distance by the veteran four-weight world champion Nonito Donaire after suffering a badly cut eye and a bloody nose in the third round.

In the quarter-finals of the World Boxing Super Series, Maloney (21-1; 18) lost on a split decision against Emmanuel Rodriguez in a challenge for the IBF bantamweight belt to suffer his only loss as a professional.

In June this year, the 29-year-old stopped Mexico’s Leonardo Baez in seven rounds to win his fourth inside-the-distance fight since his loss to Rodriguez.

Inoue would subsequently stop Rodriguez inside two rounds to win the IBF bantamweight belt in May 2019 at The SSE Hydro in Glasgow, Scotland.

There is no doubt that Inoue has the edge in power and reach and could win inside the distance after some resistance from the challenger.

On the undercard, Ewa Brodnika (19-0; 2) from Poland defends her Women’s WBO junior lightweight title against Makaela Mayer (13-0; 5) of Colorado, USA.