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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Boxing devider Naoya Inoue, Junto Nakatani both win to set up potential Japanese super fight

Naoya Inoue, Junto Nakatani both win to set up potential Japanese super fight

Published Dec 28, 2025 02:04 pm

At A Glance

  • RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Undisputed super bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue outpointed Alan David Picasso on Saturday to set up a potential pound-for-pound super fight with Junto Nakatani.
Japan's Naoya Inoue, left, punches Alan Picasso of Mexico during a boxing match for the unified WBC IBF WBO WBA super bantamweight world title in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (AP Photo)
Japan's Naoya Inoue, left, punches Alan Picasso of Mexico during a boxing match for the unified WBC IBF WBO WBA super bantamweight world title in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (AP Photo)
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Undisputed super bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue outpointed Alan David Picasso on Saturday to set up a potential pound-for-pound super fight with Junto Nakatani.
Three-weight world champion Nakatani also beat Sebastian Hernandez Reyes on points on the card in Saudi Arabia after making his debut in the division.
The two victories set up a much-anticipated clash in 2026 that would be the biggest fight in Japanese boxing history.
“Both of us had a very good win tonight,” Inoue (32-0, 27 KOs) told DAZN. “We will have to wait and see. But for the Japanese fans, you can expect something very good.”
Fighting on the “Night of the Samurai” card in Riyadh, the 32-year-old Inoue won by unanimous decision against Mexican Picasso 120-108, 119-109, 117-111.
It was a dominant performance from the four-division champion dubbed the “Monster”, who is strengthening his claim to the title of the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world. Inoue was congratulated in the ring afterward by undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk.
The 27-year-old Nakatani (32-0, 24 KOs) also enhanced his reputation after vacating his two belts at bantamweight to move from 118 lbs to 122 lbs.
He overcame another Mexican in Hernandez Reyes 115-113, 115-113 and 118-110.
Inoue also suggested a possible fight with super flyweight champion Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez “if he can fight at super bantamweight.”
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