On most occasions, when a fighter decides that a change in divisional scenery is needed, they often opt for a warm-up fight. Whether they're moving up or down in weight, it isn’t always sagacious to simply make a beeline for the division’s top dog. Naoya Inoue, however, wasn’t interested in going the traditional route.

As a bantamweight, the Japanese star was practically unbeatable. He flatlined Emmanuel Rodriguez, embarrassed Jason Moloney, and wiped out Paul Butler. Even in his lone close fight against Nonito Donaire, Inoue (24-0, 21 KOs) made amends in their immediate rematch, stopping him in the second round.

There was nothing left for Inoue to prove. He aggregated every major world title and couldn’t find an idoneous challenge at 118 pounds. So, with new goals on his mind, the pound-for-pound luminary will officially move up in weight to face the super bantamweight’s leading man, Stephen Fulton. Although there was an opportunity for Inoue to face a much lesser name, he didn’t believe it was a route he needed to take.

“At this point, getting to super bantamweight - I honestly thought, I don’t need a tune-up,” Inoue told Top Rank Boxing.

Fulton, 29, has put in an endless amount of work over the years. Still, despite holding both the WBO and WBC 122-pound titles, he finds himself as the underdog for the first time in his career.

The backing of the betting public is appreciated but Inoue isn’t getting totally wrapped up in their words. Having started his career as low as 108 pounds, Inoue knows good and well that his climb up in weight is neither easy nor normal.

“From here it will be a real challenge. This is my fifth weight class so I’m pushing the boundaries of my build, my limits. Even I don’t know how it’s going to go.”