Inoue Retains Undisputed Super Bantamweight Title with Victory Over Nakatani

Naoya Inoue Wins Unanimous Decision Against Junto Nakatani in Historic Japanese Boxing Match

Tokyo, Japan - Naoya Inoue retained his undisputed super bantamweight world title with a unanimous decision victory over compatriot Junto Nakatani in a 12-round contest at the sold-out Tokyo Dome on Saturday. The fight, billed as the biggest boxing match in Japanese history, drew a crowd of 55,000 fans.

Inoue, 33, improved his overall record to 33 victories with 27 knockouts (KOs) and extended his winning streak in world title bouts to 28. Judges scored the fight 116-112, 115-113, and 116-112 in Inoue’s favor.

The bout saw both boxers enter the contest unbeaten at 32-0, with Nakatani moving up a division late last year. The pace of the fight intensified as Nakatani appeared to close the gap in the latter half, but an accidental headbutt opened a cut above his eye and stalled his momentum.

Inoue stated that he executed his pre-fight plan to stay focused on winning and make sure he came out as the winner. He praised Nakatani’s mental strength and acknowledged that the win was worthwhile due to his opponent’s ranking in the top 10 pound-for-pound rankings.

Nakatani, nicknamed “Big Bang,” saw his record drop to 32-1 with 24 KOs. Despite being unable to prevent Inoue from scoring with pinpoint shots, he praised his opponent as a great boxer and acknowledged that Inoue fought like a champion.

The match was characterized by mutual respect between the two boxers, who exchanged smiles and fist bumps throughout the contest. The atmosphere at the Tokyo Dome reached fever pitch during the entrances of both fighters, with Inoue expressing gratitude for the opportunity to fight in front of such a large crowd.

Inoue plans to return to the Tokyo Dome, where he previously defeated Luis Nery in May 2024.

Source: Al Jazeera