The All-Japanese Super-Fight: Naoya Inoue Vs. Junto Nakatani – Who Wins?

Japanese stars, Naoya Inoue and Junto Nakatani, each picked up a decision win today in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with both 122-pounders now expected by many to do the expected thing, and that’s fight each other next year in what would/will be the biggest fight in Japanese boxing history.

For months now, Inoue, AKA “The Monster,” and Nakatani, AKA “Big Bang,” have been circling one another, the anticipated fight expected to bring out the greatness in both warriors. Who wins this fight – a strong possibility for May 3 at the Tokyo Dome – is a question so many of us have been asking for some time now. Today’s respective showings by Inoue, who decisioned a game but outclassed Alan Picasso, and Nakatani, who decisioned a relentless and tough Sebastian Hernandez, may or may not have given a fan any real idea as far as who comes out on top.

Inoue, 32-0(27) failed to get the KO, for the second time running, actually, yet he boxed masterfully in dominating Picasso, the scores reflecting Inoue’s supremacy at 120-108, 119-109, 117-111. While Nakatani, new to the super-bantamweight division, was made to work harder than at any time in his career as he picked up his much closer (on two cards) decision, the scores being 118-110, 115-113, 115-113. The folks at The Ring are calling today’s co-feature a Fight of the Year contender. Nakatani is now 32-0(24) but he walked out of the ring sporting some painful-looking swellings and bruises.

Speaking after today’s action, neither man was happy with his overall performance. In fact, both Inoue and Nakatani said they would go back and learn and improve from what happened today. At this stage of his career, it’s pretty hard to believe there is much left of anything for Inoue to learn, yet the passion to get even better is clearly there for the future Hall of Famer.

Nakatani too is a most accomplished ring operator who has a ton of experience, yet he also aims to get better and better. It’s entirely possible, indeed likely, both warriors show us, and each other, their best stuff, their maximum skill levels whenever it is that they do meet.

It’s also possible Inoue-Nakatani will be the first genuine super-fight of 2026, and also the best, most memorable super-fight of the new year. But as to who wins, well, a great case can be made for either man getting the victory. We could even see a thrilling trilogy between the two kings from Japan.

There is a chance both modern, or all-time greats could each take another fight first, but this battle of the super, super, super-bantams simply has to happen. Fans everywhere demand as much. Thankfully, both fighters are of the mental makeup where they listen to what the fans want and they then give them what they want.

Also like us, Inoue and Nakatani really do want to know who the superior fighter is here.