Naoya Inoue vs Junto Nakatani winner will receive lavish $100,000 gift

The undisputed super bantamweight titles aren’t the only thing on the line when Naoya Inoue and Junto Nakatani collide on Saturday.

Whoever emerges victorious at the sold-out Tokyo Dome will also receive a diamond-encrusted rose gold ring commissioned by the WBC.

AFP

The lavish jewellery is valued at over $100,000 (£73,605) and features 626 stones, including 573 diamonds, with roughly 11 carats.

It marks the second instalment of the WBC Crown Series, which has been brought to life by Jason of Beverly Hills.

A similar piece was presented to Terence Crawford after he snatched the undisputed super middleweight titles from Canelo Alvarez last September.

The centre of the ring is made up of a collection of green stones in the shape of the iconic WBC belt, while four coloured stones represent the affiliated major sanctioning bodies.

A statement from Jason Arasheben, CEO of Jason of Beverly Hills, lays out the design in greater detail.

“Crafted in rose gold, the ring reflects Japan’s sakura season, a symbol of beauty and the fleeting nature of peak moments,” said Arashben.

“In Japanese tradition, cherry blossoms embody mono no aware, the understanding that greatness exists in a moment that cannot be held, only experienced.

“A cherry blossom tree is engraved along the side panel, rising from two boxing gloves at its base.

“The detail connects the fighter’s journey to a deeper cultural philosophy where discipline, honour, and timing define legacy.

“At its centre, the WBC logo is set against a field of green, anchoring the design in the organisation’s identity while contrasting the softness of the surrounding elements.

Instagram @wbcboxing

Instagram @wbcboxing

“A signature Jason of Beverly Hills removable top reveals a hidden interior detail, a miniature boxing ring set within a stadium-inspired setting, reinforcing the moment of competition at the heart of the design.

“The top of the ring continues the undisputed championship identity, while the structure preserves the storytelling elements that define the Crown Series platform.”

Inoue is set to defend his four 122lb titles for a seventh consecutive time against Nakatani, who is looking to become a four-weight world champion after picking up hardware at flyweight, super flyweight and bantamweight.

Both men won their respective contests on Ring Magazine’s ‘Night of the Samurai’ event in December to set up the Japanese mega fight.

Inoue recorded a lopsided unanimous decision victory over David Picasso, while Nakatani eked out a points win over the incredibly tough Sebastian Hernandez in his super bantamweight debut.

The contest pits two top 10 pound-for-pound pugilists against one another and is on track to be the most commercially successful bout in Japanese boxing history.

Boxing schedule

For all the upcoming fights and results this year, check out talkSPORT.com’s  boxing schedule.