Naoya Inoue wins bloody battle as Junto Nakatani suffers horror cut in Japanese super fight

Naoya Inoue saw off a spirited Junto Nakatani in an elite showcase of boxing.

‘The Monster’ was handed a unanimous decision victory by margins of 116-112, 115-113, 116-112 in front of a sold-out Tokyo Dome to retain his undisputed super bantamweight crown in the biggest fight in Japanese boxing history.

AFP

The first six rounds saw Inoue and Nakatani exchanging pot shots in an elite chess match that the veteran got the better of.

Then, in the seventh, the action caught fire.

Nakatani began to land some heavy combinations in the mid to late rounds, before Inoue turned the fight on its head in a grandstand finish.

In the 10th stanza, Nakatani suffered a horrific cut to the side of his left eyebrow after a clash of heads, which caused ‘Big Bang’ real problems.

And Inoue took full advantage as he poured on the pressure in the championship rounds.

Inoue’s victory speech

Speaking in the immediate aftermath of his victory, Inoue said through a translator: “Thank you, everyone.

“I would like to show some appreciation for Junto Nakatani for fighting me tonight.

“A year ago at the world ceremony, I called out Junto to fight me one day and a year later it happened.

“I wanted to show you guys that I would be the winner, and I did everything to get the win.

“This victory is very valuable for me because Junto Nakatani is also a pound-for-pound-ranked athlete. https://twitter.com/DAZNBoxing/status/2050569963476255011?s=20

“Thank you so much to the 55,000 people who came to my fight.

“I will definitely come back to the Tokyo Dome to entertain you, so please keep rooting for me.”

What’s next for Naoya Inoue?

Asked about his future, Inoue, who has been heavily tipped with a move up to featherweight, gave a coy response.

“I think I need to rest for a little bit,” he said.

“I had four fights in 2025, and this fight at the Tokyo Dome.

“I have been so busy, so please give me a rest.

“After a little bit of rest, I will speak to Mr [Hideyuki] Okashi (Inoue’s promoter) and my dad (and trainer) about my thoughts.”

Story of the fight

Inoue was the aggressor in the opening rounds, darting in and out of range with stabbing shots to the body.

Nakatani spent a lot of the first half of the fight trying to lure Inoue onto his southpaw left, but the pound-for-pound great’s matrix-like reflexes kept him out of trouble.

A level-changing triple jab was a particularly potent weapon for Inoue early on and created openings for his right.

In round seven, Nakatani began to commit more, and by round eight, he had found his rhythm.

Nakatani started to force Inoue up against the ropes with long, spiteful combinations, and by the tenth frame, the pace seemed to be getting to the defending champion.

However, a clash of heads halted Nakatani’s momentum and gave Inoue a much-needed breather.

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