TOKYO – Naoya Inoue kept his grip on the undisputed super-bantamweight crown on Saturday, securing a unanimous decision win against Junto Nakatani before a roaring crowd of approximately 55,000 spectators at the Tokyo Dome. The bout, billed as one of the biggest fights in Japanese boxing history, saw Inoue successfully defend his WBA, WBC, IBF, and WBO titles.
The judges' scorecards read 116-112, 115-113, and 116-112 in favor of Inoue, a testament to a hard-fought 12-round contest. While Inoue landed effectively throughout, Nakatani proved a durable challenger, with the fight reportedly showing signs of swelling on Inoue's face and indications of fatigue from the champion later in the bout.
Undercard Action
The event also featured other notable bouts, including Takuma Inoue successfully defending his WBC bantamweight title. Sora Tanaka also defended his OPBF welterweight title against Jin Sasaki, and Kosuke Tomioka defended his WBO Asia Pacific flyweight title against Shogo Tanaka.
Read More: Naoya Inoue wins undisputed title fight against Nakatani in Tokyo
A Defining Bout
Inoue, now holding a perfect 32-0 record with 27 knockouts, marked his seventh defense of the 122-pound championship. The fight was streamed live on DAZN, drawing significant attention both domestically and internationally. Observers noted that while Nakatani met expectations as a challenging opponent, Inoue reaffirmed his status as a dominant force in the division.
