Naoya Inoue shared his candid thoughts on Junto Nakatani after 12 rounds of incredible focus and tension with the three-division world champion.

The two fighters faced off in a sold-out Tokyo Dome yesterday, headlining Japan’s most-attended boxing event in history when they collided in front of an estimated 55,000 spectators.

Inoue, a weighty pre-fight favorite, defended his undisputed super bantamweight crown for the seventh time after four victories last year.

Nakatani, meanwhile, followed up a hard-fought unanimous victory over Sebastian Hernandez in December and tried to dethrone “The Monster” in just his second appearance at 122 pounds.

It would have been an astonishing achievement had he achieved it, but the 28-year-old ultimately lost a unanimous decision to the great generation.

After winning the first rounds, Inoue faced a period of adversity as Nakatani came in strong, especially in the 10th frame and looked like he was gaining a lot of momentum.

However, Inoue responded with the qualities of a true champion and managed to consolidate his victory in the last six minutes.

In typical respectful fashion, the 33-year-old praised Nakatani’s mental strength during the post-fight press conference, while predicting that his compatriot would become a four-weight world champion.

“He’s a mentally mighty fighter and I think he’s definitely a fighter who will be a super bantamweight champion.”

🗣️ “I’M RELIEF”😅

Naoya Inoue reacts to defeating Junto Nakatani in the biggest fight in Japanese boxing history at Tokyo Dome!🔥🇯🇵

What do you think?🤔#InoueNakatanipic.twitter.com/joWShulYjv

— BoxingScene.com (@boxingscene) May 2, 2026

If he decides to stay at 122 pounds, Nakatani may have to wait longer than expected for another world title fight.

That’s because Inoue’s first talks have already begun to defend his belts in January against unified super flyweight champion Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez.

The exchange took place away from the stage and cameras used for the formal confrontation, which gave it a different tone than the typical staring. Tszyu looked relaxed as he held out his hand. Spence showed no interest in cooperating.

Tszyu later responded to the snub, calling Spence a “disrespectful f***” following their earlier exchanges online.

The fight is contested at a catchweight of 158 pounds and marks the return of Spence after nearly three years out of the ring. Tszyu remains vigorous and is expected to be tested soon.

Seeing Errol with such a soldierly attitude suggests that he views this less as a sports competition and more as a personal mission.

By holding back his handshake, Spence signals that the three-year hiatus hasn’t diminished his competitive advantage. It’s a psychological game that tells Tszyu that he is not seen as a peer or dance partner, but as an obstacle. For a guy like Tszyu, who is incredibly vigorous and probably expects a rusty version of the former champion, this intensity is a wake-up call.

It shifts the narrative from a standard comeback fight to something much more volatile. If Spence is truly focused on this level, it means he wants to prove he is still an elite operator who has dominated the welterweight division.

Fans’ reaction online is mixed, with some viewing this moment as a typical pre-fight preparation stage, while others are criticizing Spence for refusing to make the gesture.

The clip spread quickly and added spice to the promotion, which gained momentum after the first press conference.

Carl Froch has weighed in on Moses Itauma’s chances against Fabio Wardley and Daniel Dubois as both of them could soon be ordered to face the rising star.

Before anything else Wardley must first defend his WBO title against Dubois on May 9, headlining the Queensberry show at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester.

The 31-year-old was promoted from interim heavyweight champion to full heavyweight champion following his victory over Joseph Parker, which resulted in a stunning 11th-round finish last October.

Meanwhile, Dubois hasn’t fought since his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk in July, when he was vacated as the IBF champion following an emphatic fifth-round stoppage.

As for Itauma, he will likely be considered the mandatory challenger for the WBO title, which puts him in line to fight the Wardley-Dubois winner.

The 21-year-old has a fifth-round advantage over Jermaine Franklin, who went down and was stopped for the first time in his career.

While Itauma has yet to establish himself at the world level, his performance in March suggests that Itauma is capable of competing with the likes of Wardley and Dubois.

In fact, Hall of Famer Froch expressed his opinion on his YouTube channel: Froch About the fightthat this uncompromising genius is more than ready for such a challenge.

“I think Moses beats them both. Obviously Daniel Dubois has that punch that can catch him, as does Fabio Wardley, but I just don’t think they’re good enough [to beat him].

“When you look at Itauma and his speed – footwork, punch combination… power – he is just very, very good.”

Itauma is scheduled to return to action on July 25which means his maiden world title shot – if it were to happen now – most likely won’t be for the WBO belt.

It’s also worth noting that Itauma trains at the same gym as Wardley, which is a clear obstacle to their potential fight.