Naoya Inoue defends his undisputed super-bantamweight world title against what many feel will be the toughest test of his career in Junto Nakatani
In front of 55,000 fans at the Tokyo Dome, two undefeated pound-for-pound punchers put it on the line in the biggest fight in Japanese boxing history.
Inoue comes in as the established force at 122lbs having already cleared out the division with a series of dominant wins. This is seen as one of his toughest stylistic tests, given the size and southpaw threat in front of him. A win would further cement his place at the top of the pound-for-pound list.
Nakatani steps in as the challenger with momentum and some physical advantages, but still with something to prove at the weight after being given a tough night’s work by Sebastian Hernandez Reyes in his divisional debut. Many feel the 28-year-old has the tools to trouble his countryman, but has yet to face anyone of this level. Victory would transform his standing overnight, making him undisputed champion and a leading figure in the sport.
Stay with Boxing News for a live scorecard and final fight result as ‘The Monster’ meets ‘Big Bang’ in Japan.
Inoue vs Nakatani live scorecard
This is a Boxing News live scorecard and not the official score from the judges. Ringwalks are expects at 1.30pm BST / 5.30am PT / 7.30am CT / 8.30am ET.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inoue | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 117 |
| Nakatani | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 111 |
Main event result and report
Inoue UD – 116-112, 115-113, 116-112
A fight of two halves – the cagey chess match of the first six, in which Inoue’s jab, timing and movement won him the rounds, albeit by fine margins. When Nakatani started to take risks, perhaps out of necessity, he found a little more success and got into a rhythm. The ninth and tenth rounds in particular showed fans a glimpse of how competitive the match-up could be, and those six minutes would be the advert for a rematch if fans want to see it again. A clash of heads causing a nasty cut was unfortunate for the challenger, which stunted his momentum and sealed it for the champion. Ultimately, Inoue’s brilliance prevails. He remains undefeated and undisputed, with perhaps one more weight class in him before retirement.
Undercard results
- Takuma Inoue vs Kazuto Ioka – WBC bantamweight title – Inoue UD
- Yoshiki Takei vs Dekang Wang – super-bantamweight – Takei MD
- Jin Sasaki vs Sora Tanaka – welterweight – Sasaki SD
- Toshiki Shimomachi vs Reiya Abe – featherweight – Shimomachi MD
- Kosuke Tomioka vs Shogo Tanaka flyweight – Split draw
- Yuito Moriwaki vs Deok No Yun – super-middleweight – Moriwaki SD
