Naoya Inoue defended his undisputed super bantamweight world title at the Tokyo Dome, defeating Junto Nakatani via unanimous decision.

The fight – billed as the biggest in Japanese history – delivered both technical excellence and drama, but it was Inoue who further cemented his pound-for-pound credentials with a victory on the cards.

At the post-fight press conference, Nakatani did not excuse the defeat, instead praising his opponent.

“I was fully prepared for this fight with Inoue, so there were no massive surprises in the way he fought me. But he had championship caliber and I was impressed with his boxing style in the ring.”

The fight consisted of two halves – cautious at the beginning and brave at the end. It was Inoue who benefited from early work in the first rounds, with a edged jab and elite moves that allowed the rounds to get through.

When asked why he fought with this plan, Nakatani replied that he wanted to introduce modern tactics as the fight went on.

“Naoya is a pretty good student. He learns a lot in such a miniature time, so I didn’t want to reveal everything I had in the first rounds. That’s why I fought this way.”

Nakatani came on powerful in the second half, especially in rounds eight, nine and ten. In the tenth throw, the undisputed champion seemed to be in trouble due to his massive barriers, but a deep cut around the eye caused the eleventh to swing in Inoue’s favor.

However, it appears that the cut was not the only deciding factor, as Japanese media reported that Nakatani left the press conference to undergo tests at a hospital for a suspected orbital floor fracture, potentially caused by one of the powerful uppercuts he suffered overdue in the fight.

A crease under the eye, which is not uncommon in boxing, can require a long recovery, especially if surgery is necessary. If managed properly, a career can continue on the same path, as Inoue himself has seen suffer from similar injury against Nonito Donaire in

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Turki Alalshikh hinted at a possible return of Terence Crawford in 2027 in a social media post. The comment appeared alongside photos from the ring, which continued the discussion about a future fight around the former champion.

Turki used a clear caption to signal a sedate idea, posting ringside photos with Terence Crawford and hinting at a 2027 return, adding the line: “Maybe 2027 if he wastes his money.”

By suggesting a 2027 return under the guise that Crawford will have to spend his career earnings, Alalshikh uses his typical mix of humor and public pressure to keep the P4P star in the biggest possible matchups in the sport.

With the legend Terence Crawford… Maybe in 2027 😉 if he wastes his money 👺 pic.twitter.com/9ssjqo7D7U

— TURKI ALALSHIKH (@Turki_alalshikh) May 2, 2026

Turki has made no secret of his desire to see Crawford in a rematch with the Mexican superstar. While Crawford seemed content with his legacy, the lure of another massive payday in 2027 fits the timeline of a one-off spectacle rather than a return to a division where he will have to face younger fighters at 168 years senior.

The “2027” teaser is clearly based on the assumption that Canelo remains a viable option. Canelo vs. fight announcement Mbilli’s arrival in Riyad in September completely changes the situation.

If Canelo loses to WBC super middleweight champion Mbilla, Turki’s plan for a rematch with Crawford will become obsolete.

Alalshikh is counting on Canelo’s endurance to overcome Mbilla’s youth and high work rate. He will be relying on senior man strength to withstand a hungry first-class Mbilla. If this bet falls through in September, photos from Tokyo could be the last time Crawford and Alalshikh signal their approach to a mega fight with Canelo.

If Canelo thinks like a businessman, and he usually does, leaving Mbilli out makes sense. Why risk a $100+ million payday in 2027 against Crawford by getting carried away or potentially retained by a guy with a fraction of his name value?

Alvarez may present a rematch with Crawford as the only fight fans want to see. He can argue that he has already conquered the 168-pound division and that Mbilli’s WBC belt is just plastic compared to the P4P stakes in the rematch with Bud.

David Benavidez has shared his reaction to Canelo Alvarez’s fight with Christian Mbilli, believing that the former undisputed king should fight an alternative opponent.

This was announced on Thursday the pair agreed to fight for Mbilla’s WBC super middleweight belt in Riyad, Saudi Arabia, on September 12.

This fight would give Canelo a chance to regain one of his four world titles, which he lost last September via unanimous decision against Terence Crawford.

Alvarez had previously become a two-time undisputed 168-pound champion, but was ultimately unable to thwart “Bud’s” speed and technical brilliance.

Meanwhile, Mbilli rose from “interim” to full WBC champion following Crawford’s retirement, but may not have fully established himself at the world level yet.

In his last outing, the Frenchman was on Canelo-Crawford’s undercard and worked to a 10-round draw with Lester Martinez, but he hasn’t fought since being promoted to full champion.

Regardless of the title, however, Benavidez does not consider Mbilli a worthy opponent for Canelo, whom he has long accused of avoiding him.

Instead, the WBC lightweight heavyweight champion has it he told Fight Hub TV that he would rather see Mexican super middleweight Diego Pacheco.

“No one wants to see this shit [Mbilli vs Canelo]. I think so [it] it would be better if he [was fighting] Diego Pacheco. Diego Pacheco is a much bigger name than Mbilli.

Having previously trained with Pacheco, it is no surprise that Benavidez, who is bidding to become a three-weight world champion this Saturday, suggested his former stablemate would be a more suitable dance partner for Canelo.