Naoya Inoue vs. Paul Butler odds, predictions, best bets for 2022 boxing fight
Boxing’s bantamweight division will have the spotlight on it on December 13. Naoya Inoue and Paul Butler face off to determine the undisputed champion at bantamweight.
The fight takes place inside Tokyo's Ariake Arena. Inoue defends the WBA, WBC, IBF, and The Ring bantamweight titles, while Butler puts the WBO title on the line.
Considered one of the best boxers in the world today, Inoue is a three-division champion. He is coming off a dominant win over former rival Nonito Donaire. It only took two rounds to take out "The Filipino Flash." Inoue believes it will take a little longer than that to take out Butler.
“I’m in great shape and ready to exchange gloves with Butler,” Inoue stated while in Japan, via Boxing247. “I may expect a rather longer fight than previously since Butler is also a technically excellent boxer.”
Can Butler perform better than Donaire? A former IBF bantamweight and Commonwealth super-flyweight champion, Butler is on an eight-fight win streak. After a fight against John Riel Casimero fell through, Butler is ready to take on the next big thing.
Will we see Inoue hold more gold, or will Butler pull off what some may consider the ultimate upset? The Sporting News is here to give some insight on how to bet on this bantamweight unification match.
Naoya Inoue vs. Paul Butler odds
Per BetMGM, Inoue is the -3000 favorite, while Butler is the +1100 underdog.
Naoya Inoue vs. Paul Butler betting trends
- Inoue via KO/TKO: -1200
- Inoue via decision: +800
- Butler via KO/TKO: +2000
- Butler via decision: +2200
- Draw: +2500
- Inoue in rounds 1-3: -190
- Inoue in rounds 4-6: +350
- Inoue in rounds 7-9: +1100
- Inoue in rounds 10-12: +1800
- Butler in rounds 1-3: +4000
- Butler in rounds 4-6: +5000
- Butler in rounds 7-9: +8000
- Butler in rounds 10-12: +8000
Naoya Inoue vs. Paul Butler prediction, best bets
There is a reason why Inoue is considered a genius in the ring. Inoue ranks fifth among active fighters with a +14.7 +/- rating. He has a connect rate of 35.9%, the fifth-best.
"The Monster's" shot output is deadly. Per CompuBox, Inoue landed 107 of 338 (32%) shots against Jason Moloney in his Top Rank debut. Of those shots, 44 of them were jabs. Against Michael Dasmarinas, Inoue knocked him down in the second round. He hit a devastating left hook and later continued with a flurry of blows.
“I just wanted to see what he had and what he could take in the first round,” Inoue told ESPN’s Bernardo Osuna, via Boxing Scene. “After that, I was confident that I could take him out.”
Against Nonito Donaire in 2019, Inoue landed 227 of 628 shots (36.1%). In the rematch in June, it was a massacre. He landed 42 of 85 shots (49%), with 29 in the second round. Inoue gets better as a fight goes on.
Butler may be a long shot but he appears unfazed.
The WBO champion has 15 wins via knockout. He was not that impressed with Inoue's performance against Donaire.
“I’ve read all sorts of comments and predictions about the fight, already: ‘Butler has a death-wish’, ‘Inoue to win by murder’ and agreeing to the fight would be like ‘Signing someone’s death warrant.' Butler said, via Ring News 24.
“He hits very hard but what’s the worst that can happen? He knocks me out. I’ve been stopped before and let me make it clear, I will be going into that fight believing I can win. I will be walking to the ring believing, as I always do, that I can win the fight and become the undisputed bantamweight champion of the world.”
It is not impossible to say that Butler can shock the world and beat Inoue, but it is a lie to say Inoue can be beaten easily. The level of competition leading up to the fight isn’t compatible, and Inoue has managed to outclass everyone. The result may be the same against Butler, who, for his credit, is game.
The road to undisputed ends in Japan, and the hometown favorite may get the job done. An early knockout is in play, but, like Inoue stated, it will last longer than the Donaire fight.
