Opening Shots
At the start of every year in the hallowed Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, a purification ceremony is held to prepare the ring for the months to come. When these rites were performed on January 10, 2023, nobody could’ve known just how good the year was going to be. Naoya Inoue, the 2023 Fighter of the Year, made his professional debut at Korkuen Hall on October 2, 2012, against a Filipino named Crison Omayao — the bout was scheduled for eight rounds but only lasted four. Inoue would fight twice more at the venue before setting out on what continues to be a remarkable journey.
All photos by Naoki Fukuda.
Featured Cover
