Inoue vs. Nakatani Set for May 2 Title Defense in Tokyo

Japanese boxing fans are set for a historic showdown as undisputed super bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue will defend his titles against fellow unbeaten countryman Junto Nakatani on May 2 at Tokyo Dome. The all-Japanese clash, formally announced at a press conference in Tokyo, pits two of the sport's top pound-for-pound fighters in a bout expected to draw a massive crowd to the 55,000-capacity venue.

Inoue, with a record of 32-0 and 27 knockouts, enters as the favorite after a dominant 2025 campaign that included four successful defenses of his undisputed crown. The 32-year-old, known as the Monster, became the first Asian boxer to achieve undisputed status in two divisions, first at bantamweight in 2022 and then at super bantamweight following knockouts of Stephen Fulton in 2023 and Marlon Tapales later that year. His most recent fight, a unanimous decision over Alan David Picasso in December in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, highlighted his resilience in a competitive year. Inoue returns to Tokyo Dome for the first time since May 2024, when he overcame an early knockdown to stop Luis Nery in the sixth round before a sold-out crowd of about 50,000.

Nakatani, also 32-0 with 24...