How to Watch Naoya Inoue vs. Ye Joon Kim: Stream the Action Live on ESPN+
Pound-for-pound boxing champion Naoya Inoue will defend his undisputed super bantamweight titles against South Korea’s Ye Joon Kim in a highly anticipated showdown on Friday, January 24. The event will take place at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan, with the action set to stream live in the United States exclusively on ESPN+.
Start Time & Streaming Info
Fans in the U.S. will need to set their alarms for a special early morning start time of 4:15 a.m. ET / 1:15 a.m. PT to catch all the excitement. This historic bout will be available exclusively on ESPN+, the sports streaming service from ESPN. If you’re not already subscribed to ESPN+, you can sign up at www.espn.com/plus.
The Fight: Inoue vs. Kim
Naoya Inoue (28-0, 25 KOs), often regarded as one of the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world, will attempt to make history by successfully defending his undisputed super bantamweight crown for a third time. Inoue, 31, has become known for his devastating knockout power, and he will be aiming for his 10th consecutive knockout victory in this fight.
The Japanese sensation first unified the bantamweight division in 2022, defeating Paul Butler by stoppage. He followed up in 2023 by claiming undisputed status in a second weight class with knockout wins over Stephen Fulton and Marlon Tapales. Inoue’s most recent victories include a dramatic comeback win against Luis Nery in May 2023 at Tokyo Dome, where he rose from a first-round knockdown to stop the former two-weight world champion in the sixth round. Inoue also defeated TJ Doheny by seventh-round TKO in September of 2023.
Inoue’s opponent, Ye Joon Kim (21-2-2, 13 KOs), will be looking to pull off the upset. The Korean challenger is a former IBF Asia super bantamweight champion who has won his last two fights, including a decision victory over veteran Rob Diezel. Ranked No. 11 in the world by the WBO, Kim will face the toughest test of his career as he looks to claim the world titles from the Japanese superstar.
Undercard Action
Before the main event, the undercard will feature an exciting welterweight battle between Jin Sasaki (18-1-1, 17 KOs) and Shoki Sakai (29-14-3, 15 KOs) for the WBO Asia Pacific and OPBF belts. Also featured on the card are additional bouts including Goki Kobayashi vs. Yuni Takada in minimumweight action, Tsubasa Narai vs. Kai Watanabe in lightweight, and a super bantamweight contest between Toshiki Shimomachi and Misaki Hirano.
Broadcast Team
Fans can tune in to the fight live with expert commentary from Hall of Famer Timothy Bradley Jr. and Bernardo Osuna, who will call the action for ESPN+.
Don’t miss the chance to see one of boxing’s biggest stars in action—stream Inoue vs. Kim live on ESPN+!
Fight Card
Super Bantamweight Championship – Naoya Inoue vs. Ye Joon Kim (WBC, WBO, WBA, IBF titles)
Welterweight – Jin Sasaki vs. Shoki Sakai
Minimumweight – Goki Kobayashi vs. Yuni Takada
Lightweight – Tsubasa Narai vs. Kai Watanabe
Super Bantamweight – Toshiki Shimomachi vs. Misaki Hirano
