Japanese boxing stars Inoue and Nakatani poised for showdown if Saudi bouts go their way
- Shidonna Raven
- Mar 2
- 2 min read
By KEN MAGUIRE
This Article has been curated by UDBN
Updated 12:08 AM EST, December 24, 2025
Source: AP
Image/Photo Source: Boxing Scene
The Floyd Mayweather Jr.- Manny Pacquiao bout happened probably five years too late. Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua still haven’t fought.
Naoya Inoue and Junto Nakatani are ready to square off now in what would be the biggest fight in Japanese boxing history. No posturing, just two top pound-for-pound boxers in their prime seemingly willing to give fans what they want.
Here’s the catch: They each have one more fight and need to avoid a surprise before their expected showdown.
Inoue (31-0, 27 KOs) is the undisputed super bantamweight (122 lbs) champion and the headliner Saturday in Saudi Arabia. He faces Mexico’s Alan David Picasso (32-0-1, 17 KOs). Nakatani (31-0, 24 KOs), moving up in weight to make his debut in the division, faces Sebastian Hernandez Reyes (20-0, 18 KOs) — also Mexican — on the same card, a showcase of Japanese fighters.
“This is very important for Japanese boxing,” Inoue told The Associated Press through a translator.
Most important for Inoue and Nakatani, though, are victories that would clear the way for a blockbuster matchup, likely in Tokyo in May.
“Firstly, I have a plan to have a fight with Nakatani,” Inoue said of his goals for 2026. “Also, I have the idea that I may move up to the featherweight division.”
The buildup to the Riyadh event, billed as the “Night of the Samurai,” has been as much about Inoue-Nakatani as it has about their respective opponents Saturday. At a press event last month, promoters sat Inoue and Nakatani next to each other and made sure they were the last two off the stage during the photo session. The pair didn’t exchange chitchat or handshakes.
“Personally, I have no contact or connection with him,” the 32-year-old Inoue said. “Of course, I value his boxing, that’s why I’m looking forward to fighting him.”
We Got that FAN-Appeal | Undisputed Boxing News
Marcus Doggett, Chief Editor
Comments