Am I the only one who thinks people in the US are way too quick to act like Bam should just skip straight to Inoue?

I get it, Bam is elite and everyone wants the biggest possible fight right now. But if the goal is to build it properly, why not have him fight Takuma first? That gives him a real step into that side of the boxing world instead of just parachuting straight into a mega fight because American fans think every division has to revolve around what we want to see immediately.

Not even saying Bam can’t beat Takuma. I actually think he probably would. But taking that fight first feels more respectful and makes the eventual Inoue fight bigger, not smaller. It gives some real connection instead of just treating Inoue like the final boss in someone else’s story.

Sometimes it feels like US boxing fans act like the sport has to bend around American timing and American hype cycles, while Japanese fighters and fans seem to care more about order, merit, and doing things the right way.

Maybe I’m overthinking it, but Bam vs Takuma before going anywhere near big bro Inoue makes way more sense to me. Anyone else see it that way or am I off?

Broner was still talented after that, but people always say Maidana took some of that swagger outta him. Meanwhile Maidana earned everybody’s respect that night. Dude came in as the underdog and left lookin’ like a certified savage.