Naoya Inoue sums up Junto Nakatani’s ability after undisputed victory

Oscar Pick

Naoya Inoue sums up Junto Nakatani’s ability after undisputed victory
Image credit: Getty

Naoya Inoue has revealed his honest thoughts on Junto Nakatani, having shared 12 rounds of incredible focus and tension with the three-division world champion.

The pair squared off at a sold-out Tokyo Dome yesterday, headlining the most-attended Japanese boxing event in history as they collided in front of around 55,000 spectators.

Inoue, a sizable pre-fight favourite, was making the seventh defence of his undisputed super-bantamweight crown after amassing four victories last year.

Nakatani, on the other hand, was coming off a hard-fought unanimous decision victory over Sebastian Hernandez in December, attempting to dethrone ‘The Monster’ in only his second outing at 122lbs.

It would have been an astounding achievement if he managed to do so, but the 28-year-old ultimately lost a unanimous decision to the generational great.

After banking the early rounds, Inoue encountered a spell of adversity as Nakatani came on strong, especially in the 10th frame, and looked as if he was gathering serious momentum.

Inoue, however, responded with the qualities of a true champion and managed to solidify his victory in the final six minutes.

In a typically respectful manner, the 33-year-old hailed Nakatani’s mental strength during his post-fight press conference, while also predicting that his countryman will become a four-weight world champion.

“He’s a mentally strong fighter, and I think he’s definitely a fighter who will become a champion in the super-bantamweight division.”

If he chooses to remain at 122lbs, then Nakatani may be compelled to wait longer than expected for another world title shot.

This is because early talks have begun for Inoue to defend his belts against Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodruguez, the unified super-flyweight champion, in January.

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