Naoya Inoue defended his titles and undefeated record with a 12-round unanimous decision over Junto Nakatani in front of a huge crowd at the Tokyo Dome. The scores were 116-112, 116-112 and 115-113. The fight turned out to be more technical and disciplined than the explosive war many expected from two fistfighting talents.

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Last update: 2026/05/02 at 10:51

Naoya Inoue defeated Junto Nakatani by unanimous decision to retain his super bantamweight world titles in a high-profile fight at the Tokyo Dome, but not before more pressure had been placed on him in years.

Inoue went through a tactical and at times dramatic fight to hand Nakatani the first defeat of his career, retiring at the end of a fight that saw the momentum shift throughout twelve rounds.

The judges scored the fight 116-112 twice AND 115-113which reflects the level of competition in the competition before Inoue closed the show. WBN also scored 116-112, with Inoue doing enough to retain his undisputed crown and top spot in the pound-for-pound rankings.

The beginning of cat and mouse

The opening stages were cautious, almost cat and mouse, with Inoue taking more exact shots and Nakatani looking for range. Inoue’s hitting made the difference early in the match, picking its moments as Nakatani struggled to connect with anything significant beyond the occasional single effort.

In the third quarter, Inoue began to assert more control, landing a solid right hand as Nakatani changed positions and looked for opportunities. Nakatani’s best route remained on the left side, and he started to show flashes of it in the fourth period, but Inoue continued to do more in response.

Nakatani finally found his rhythm in the fifth and sixth periods, landing some of his trademark lefts and following up with two of his best punches in the sixth set after Inoue’s mighty start. For the first time, the fight seemed to be changing.

Nakatani comes in mighty

Inoue responded in the seventh set, hitting a mighty shot and making several large shots that stopped Nakatani’s momentum. In the eighth race, Nakatani accelerated again, knowing he was behind, but Inoue took over most of the work and continued to respond with cleaner shots.

The ninth and tenth saw some of the best action of the fight. Nakatani applied constant pressure, firing steady shots as the pace increased, and in the tenth over he had his biggest moment, hurting Inoue in what was becoming one of the best rounds of the year before an accidental clash of heads left Nakatani with a cut above his eye.

The incident occurred after sustained pressure from Nakatani, which caused the lively of the match to change in Inoue’s favor.

From there, Inoue took it back and never let go.

Inoue closes the show

Inoue responded emphatically in the eleventh throw, ending his strongest round of the fight. A huge jab and a massive uppercut hurt Nakatani, who was now dealing with both the uppercut and the incoming pressure.

With the fight back in control, Inoue finished the final round without taking unnecessary risks, even glancing at the clock when he was close to winning.

For a long time, it looked like a fight that would finally push Inoue over the edge – until he got it back.

The result keeps Inoue at the top of the division, but after Nakatani pushed him through twelve rounds, a rematch now seems inevitable.

WBN released the full Inoue vs. Nakatani fight results and scorecard as Inoue’s brother Takuma defended his WBC bantamweight title against senior Japanese legend Kazuto Ioka.

About the author

Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a boxing veteran with over 15 years of experience. Since 2010, he has been interviewing world champions, breaking down international titles exclusively and reporting from the ring. His work is distributed on major platforms including Apple News. Read the full biography.

Click here to watch Benavidez vs. Zurdo and Inoue vs. Nakatani LIVE!

Errol Spence Jr (28-1, 22 KO) will return to fight Tim Tszyu (24-1, 17 KO) at 158-pound catchweight on July 25 after both camps reached an agreement following tardy negotiations in Las Vegas. The trade moves Spence up and takes Tszyu above the 154-pound limit, putting both fighters in fresh physical territory.

Tszyu and his team expected the fight to be held at 154 pounds junior middleweight, but Spence’s team pushed for a move up to 160 pounds. Talks between No Limit Boxing and Premier Boxing Champions representatives in Las Vegas lasted for hours before both sides agreed to meet in the middle of the 158-pound fight.

“Is he gigantic enough to be a middleweight? Looking at him, I’m not sure. It’s arduous,” Paulie Malignaggi told FoxSports.com Au, speaking about Spence.

Discussions, which continued by telephone after the initial meeting at Wynn, were described as tense at times but respectful, with both camps determined to keep the fight on track.

The final number puts Tszyu at his highest fighting weight in years, which raises questions about how he will handle the jump against a naturally larger opponent. Former world champion Paulie Malignaggi has already questioned whether Tszyu has the size to compete effectively in the middleweight division.

Tszyu has been fighting above 154 in recent fights, but this is a more significant move, especially against an opponent returning after a long absence.

For Spence, the higher weight reflects a turnaround from his defeat to Terence Crawford in 2023, which was followed by growing concerns about the impact of moving up to welterweight. Since then, his team has leaned towards operating in the higher leagues to avoid further burdens.

Jumping up two weight classes after a three-year break is a huge physical challenge for 36-year-old Spence.

A trade-off between health and performance appears to be at the heart of this decision. The prevailing theory is that the 147-pound limit was killing Spence.

After the loss to Crawford, the word from his camp was that he was “exhausted” and was basically a shell of himself when he hit the ring. As he moves up to middleweight, he is prioritizing his health and his chin.

The fight is expected to be announced soon in the United States.