Naoya Inoue Defeats Nakatani, Retains Unified Super Bantamweight Title

Japanese boxer Naoya Inoue successfully defended his unified super bantamweight world title with a unanimous decision victory over countryman Junto Nakatani after 12 dramatic rounds at Tokyo Dome. The fight took place before 55,000 fans packed into the stadium on Saturday (May 2).

Inoue, 33, known by the nickname "The Monster," extended his unbeaten streak in world title fights to 28 as the judges scored the bout 116-112, 115-113, and 116-112 in his favor.

"Unlike my previous fights, the pressure this time was immense, so I feel relieved to have won," Inoue said after the fight. "I don't know whether tonight was a legendary night or not, but that will come soon. Tonight is not the end of my boxing career, and there is still time to create more legendary moments."

Both fighters entered the bout with undefeated records of 32-0. The fight was considered the biggest boxing showdown in Japanese history after Nakatani moved up a weight class late last year. Inoue attacked from the start, but Nakatani gradually closed the gap in the second half of the fight as the pace quickened. An accidental head clash late in the 10th round opened a cut over the challenger's eye, disrupting his momentum.

"Today I followed the plan I talked about before the fight, which was to focus on winning, to make sure I was the one to come out on top," Inoue shared. "As you know, Nakatani is a tough fighter mentally. The fact that he is in the top 10 pound-for-pound makes this victory truly worthwhile."

The win improves Inoue's overall record to 33 wins, with 27 knockouts (KO). Nakatani, who has held world titles in three different weight classes, had hoped to push himself higher in the boxing world. Nicknamed "Big Bang," the 28-year-old frequently appears in the top 10 of The Ring magazine's pound-for-pound rankings. He was fighting only his second bout at super bantamweight and used his longer reach to contain Inoue early on, but could not cope with his opponent's precise punches. The accidental head clash that opened a cut above his eye troubled him late in the fight. Nakatani said: "I prepared for many different scenarios, so I wasn't surprised by how he fought. But he fought like a champion, he is a great fighter."

The fight was conducted in an atmosphere of mutual respect, with both fighters exchanging smiles and fist bumps throughout. Inoue fought at Tokyo Dome for the second time, after defeating Luis Nery of Mexico in May 2024. The area around the stadium was crowded with fans hours before doors opened. The atmosphere peaked as Inoue and Nakatani entered the ring for the historic showdown of Japanese boxing.

"The view from the ring that I got is something only I can enjoy, but thanks to the 55,000 people in the stadium, I was able to see it," Inoue said. "I will come back to Tokyo Dome, so let me enjoy this spectacle once again."