Naoya Inoue emerged victorious against Junto Nakatani, successfully defending his undisputed super-bantamweight title in a historic Japanese boxing event. The intense 12-round battle saw 'The Monster' Inoue retain his WBC, WBA, IBF, and WBO belts, winning with scores of 116-112, 116-112, and 115-113, in front of a packed crowd of 55,000 at the Tokyo Dome.
This victory marked the end of Nakatani's flawless 32-fight record, as the three-division champion struggled to overcome Inoue's formidable power and combination of punches. Inoue, a four-division champion, praised Nakatani, saying, 'He was a fighter with a strong heart, which makes this win even more significant.' Nakatani reflected on his first loss, stating, 'I was well-prepared, but the champion was exceptional.' Inoue initially gained the upper hand in the early rounds with his precise punches and agile footwork, but Nakatani fought back in the fifth round, unleashing a series of powerful punches.
Inoue's hurtful right hands in the seventh round stalled Nakatani's attempts to regain momentum, although Nakatani briefly stunned Inoue with an uppercut in the ninth. A head clash in the following round left Nakatani with a cut above his right eye, but it did not deter his aggressive approach.
As the fight entered its final rounds, both boxers exchanged powerful blows at close range until the final bell, with Inoue ultimately reestablishing his dominance in the super-bantamweight division.