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Naoya Inoue continues to perform at a high level – but is there a disturbing problem lurking?

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Naoya Inoue believes his busy schedule this year has been crucial in building momentum ahead of a potential mega fight with Junto Nakatani in 2026.

The undisputed junior featherweight world champion and one of the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world is widely expected to defend his titles against Mexican challenger Alan Picasso on December 27 at the Mohammed Abdo Arena in Riyad, Saudi Arabia. Inoue’s Japanese opponent, Nakatani, will face Sebastian Hernandez in the co-main event of the gala.

Then, if “The Monster” Inoue (31-0, 27 KO) and Nakatani (31-0, 24 KO) remain champions, they will be treated to a polite face-to-face meeting once their 2026 fight is officially announced at the Tokyo Dome.

Too many fights? Naoya Inoue dismisses the issue

Inoue, 32, will defend his junior featherweight title for the seventh time against Picasso, which will be his fourth fight this year. No other men’s world boxing champion can match Inoue’s activity this year, and some wonder if it was too much.

After Ki Ye-Joon’s 4th round knockout, Inoue even admitted that he was “mentally exhausted.” In May, Inoue was dropped by Ramon Cardenas in Round 2, but quickly recovered and stopped Cardenas in Round 8. Inoue’s third fight of the year was a masterful performance as he maintained a relentless pace to pass Murodjon Akhmadaliev by unanimous decision in September.

For Inoue, this year’s schedule was perfect.

“First of all, I like fighting, and secondly, I want to build my career step by step, so I decided to fight four times this year,” he told ESPN.

“It’s very significant and very good for me that I will fight four fights in the year before the fight with Nakatani.”

Inoue, a world champion in four weight classes, was recently named second, behind super middleweight champion Terence Crawford, on ESPN’s list of the top 100 boxing fighters of 2025.

A victory over Nakatani, his Japanese rival who trains in Los Angeles, could vault him to the top spot in the pound-for-pound rankings in a clash that is being hailed as the biggest fight in Japanese boxing history.

Nakatani, 27, who stands three inches taller at 5-foot-7, has also been busy this year recording stoppage victories against Ryosuke Nishida and David Cuellar Contreras.

“This [fight vs. Nakatani] “It’s going to be a large fight in Japan and it’s going to be a historic, large fight and a lot of people are going to be interested in seeing it not only in Japan,” Inoue told ESPN.

Inoue held the junior flyweight, junior bantamweight, bantamweight and junior featherweight world belts. Despite knockdowns in two of his last five fights (against Cardenas and Luis Nery in May 2024), Inoue believes that junior featherweight is the optimal weight class for him.

“I feel like I’m the best in the junior featherweight division, better than in other weight classes,” Inoue told ESPN.

Picasso (32-0-1, 17 KO) impressively defeated Kyonosuke Kameda by majority decision in July.

“I didn’t look at his last fight, I’ll just focus on winning,” Inoue told ESPN.

Inoue, who confirmed to ESPN that he will move up to featherweight at some point, believes Japanese boxing can become even better than the boom it is currently enjoying. Seven world boxing champions come from Japan in the men’s and women’s sport, as well as Nakatani, who relinquished his world bantamweight titles in September.

“There are a lot of up-and-coming boxers from Japan, a lot of up-and-coming talented fighters, so I believe that Japanese boxing will get better and better,” Inoue told ESPN.

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Sulaiman says Shakur has huge all-time potential

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Image: Derek 'Bozy' Ennis to Shakur Stevenson: "You Don't Have to Prove Anything to Anybody"

“He’s a great fighter. He has everything,” Sulaiman told Ring Champs. “He has all-time potential. He’s a great fighter.”

Sulaiman said Stevenson’s skills have already been proven in multiple leagues, adding that the latest move has only strengthened his standing in the sport.

The comments came when Sulaiman was asked whether Stevenson could finally become boxing’s top pound-for-pound fighter. His answer was direct.

“I think so,” Sulaiman said. “He looks very good and sturdy in this weight class.”

Stevenson’s rise also became a major topic of conversation after the Teofimo fight. Sulaiman said the up-to-date division seemed to suit him physically.

At 28 years elderly, Stevenson is currently at the point in his career where accolades become expectations. Talent alone no longer divides him. The question is whether his upcoming fights match the level people currently see in him.

All the while, Sugar Ray Robinson was moving up from welterweight to middleweight and fighting the toughest monsters of his era without asking them to suck him parched. When you request a hydration clause, as Shakur did with Conor Benn at welterweight, you are essentially saying that you want your opponent to be at his weakest while you are at his best.

Sugar Ray Robinson didn’t ask for a “rehydration clause” during his fight with Jake LaMotta. He just went out and fought a much bigger, stronger man. If Shakur wants to be mentioned in the same breath, he must finally fight a fight in which he will not be the one dictated by physical disabilities.

Robinson didn’t ask for a “rehydration clause” in his fight with Jake LaMotta. He just went out and fought a much bigger, stronger man. If Shakur wants to be mentioned in the same breath, he must finally fight a fight in which he will not be the one dictated by physical disabilities.

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Gervonta Davis called out by world champion for mega fight: “I need it”

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Gervonta Davis called out by world champion for mega fight: “I need it”

Gervonta Davis’ future is currently in doubt, but that’s not stopping one of the reigning world champions from calling out ‘Tank’ for a showdown.

It was over a year since Davis last saw action in March 2025 against Lamont Roach Jr. This fight ended in a controversial majority draw, but “Tank” still defended his WBA lightweight title.

Since then, however, the Baltimore man’s life has been extremely hard. A first-time exhibition with YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul, scheduled for November, was canceled after Davis found himself at the center of domestic violence allegations.

Further allegations led to “Tank” losing his WBA belt and being declared champion during his hiatus, but earlier this year reports surfaced that he could return against former foe and current WBC interim super lightweight champion Isaac Cruz.

After Ryan Garcia posted, it’s yet another former foe of Davis who is now calling for a rematch social media his intention to secure a second fight.

“I pray I get a tank rematch one day. I need it back on equal footing. I need it!!!”

Garcia suffered a seventh-round loss to Davis when they met in April 2023, but “King Ry” has repeatedly said since the fight that he was far from his best as it was a 136-pound catchweight fight with a 10-pound rehydration clause.

in February Garcia defeated Mario Barrios to win the WBC welterweight titleand if Davis decides to campaign at 147 pounds, the prospect of winning world titles in another weight class could tempt him into a rematch with “King Ry.”

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Eddie Hearn warns that Zuffa athletes could lose their world title eligibility

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Image: Eddie Hearn Says Zuffa Fighters Should Lose Access To World Titles

“I think there will be a large split in boxing now,” promoter Matchroom Hearn told the media. “If you go with Zuffa, you’re out of the governing bodies. I think that’s really what it’s going to have to be like.”

Hearn’s comments come at a time when Zuffa Boxing is gaining momentum and gaining attention from fighters and promoters across the sport. The long-term question was whether the events would interact with the WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO systems, or go in a different direction.

Hearn explained his position.

“If you sign with Zuffa, you can’t win the world championship,” he said. “You can’t have it both ways.”

He pointed to the recent movement to include titleholders and challengers, arguing that fighters who leave the customary route are giving up some of what boxing has historically valued most.

“Legacy will always be the answer,” Hearn said.

This line leads to a real fight under the headlines. Zuffa can offer money, platform power and stern promotion via TKO. Time-honored boxing still offers belts, rankings and the story behind becoming a champion.

Many competitors will try to secure both if possible. Hearn is doubtful whether the balance can be maintained.

Hearn also criticized recent arguments against the Ali Act and said income transparency remains one of the strongest protections for combatants in the current US system.

Whether fans agree with Hearn or not, he touched on something real. Boxing may be heading down two separate paths, and fighters will soon have to decide which is more vital.

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