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.

Naoya Inoue defends his undisputed super bantamweight world title in what many believe will be the toughest test of his career at Junto Nakatani

In front of 55,000 fans at the Tokyo Dometwo undefeated pound-for-pound boxers put on the line the biggest fight in the history of Japanese boxing.

Inoue enters as an established force at 122 pounds after clearing out the division with a string of dominant victories. This is seen as one of his toughest stylistic tests, given the size and threat of the southpaw in front of him. The victory further cemented his position at the top of the pound-for-pound charts.

Nakatani comes in as a contender with momentum and some physical advantages, but he still has something to prove at this weight after a challenging night’s work from Sebastian Hernandez Reyes in his divisional debut. Many believe the 28-year-old has the tools to cause trouble for his compatriot, but he has never faced anyone at this level. An overnight victory will transform his position, making him the undisputed champion and leading figure in the sport.

Stay with Boxing News for live results and final fight results as “The Monster” meets “The Huge Bang” in Japan.

Inoue – Nakatani live scoreboard

Results and main event report

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Results below the card

• Takuma Inoue vs. Kazuto Ioka – WBC bantamweight title – Inoue OUT
• Yoshiki Takei vs Dekang Wang – super bantamweight – Doctor Takei