The odds are firmly stacked (to say the least) against Kim, who has won his last two fights against Rakesh Lohchab and John Basan after losing a decision against Rob Diezel in America in April 2023 - his first defeat for more than a decade.

Korean challenger Ye Joon Kim is a huge underdog as he steps in as a late replacement to take on the pound-for-pound phenomenon Naoya Inoue.

Naoya Inoue, ESPN's No. 3 pound-for-pound boxer, will help usher in the 2025 title fight slate with his third defense of the undisputed 122-pound championship early Friday in Tokyo (ESPN+, 4:15 a.m. ET).

NAOYA Inoue and Ye Joon Kim have both weighed in below the 122 lb limit ahead of tomorrow’s undisputed super bantamweight clash.

The new year has a growing number of events set for the first few months. Many of the sport's biggest names already have fights on the 2025 calendar, including several members of the pound-for-pound elite.

Inoue had been scheduled to defend against Sam Goodman, but he suffered an injury in camp and had to be replaced by Kim. For fans outside of Australia, Kim and Goodman are interchangeable. No difference.

Tsubasa Narai (14-2-0, 10 KOs) clashes with Kai Watanabe (13-1-1, 7 KOs) in a 10-round lightweight bout. Coverage begins Friday at 4:15 a.m. ET on ESPN+. Fans can catch all the action in the fight card's streaming hub. Check out the ESPN boxing hub page for the latest news, schedules, rankings and more.

Here's all you need to know ahead of Naoya Inoue's undisputed junior featherweight title defense against late replacement Ye Joon Kim on Friday.

Local fighters look to impress in Japan on the Naoya Inoue vs. Ye Joon Kim undercard. Here's a breakdown of all the action on the Inoue vs. Kim card.

The final press conference took place for Naoya Inoue vs. Ye Joon Kim, with both men ready to perform. Inoue will defend his Undisputed Super Bantamweight Title. The Monster is the massive favorite as he arrives into the fight with a perfect 28-0 record.