Naoya Inoue outclasses Nakatani at the iconic Tokyo Dome – World Boxing Association

In a masterclass of elite boxing that kept 55,000 fans on the edge of their seats at the Tokyo Dome, undisputed champion Naoya Inoue retained his WBA Super Championship at super bantamweight along with all his world titles, scoring a unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Junto Nakatani.

From the opening bell, it was evident that Inoue (33-0, 27 KOs) was facing an unprecedented physical challenge. Nakatani’s (32-1, 24 KOs) height and reach disrupted the champion’s explosive entries through the early rounds. Fighting out of a sharp southpaw stance, Nakatani used a stiff, accurate jab to keep Inoue at bay, even landing heavy right hooks that forced the 122-pound king onto the back foot in the fourth and fifth rounds.

But championship pedigree—and the authority of the sport’s pound-for-pound king—surfaced down the stretch. Inoue made the necessary adjustments, recalibrated his distance, and began systematically investing to the body. He found the angles to break through the challenger’s defense, turning the tide in the championship rounds. The tenth proved pivotal, as Inoue snapped Nakatani’s head back with a crisp one-two combination that visibly shook him, though the challenger showed tremendous grit to stay upright.

After twelve rounds of high-level intensity rarely seen in modern boxing, the judges returned scorecards of 115-113, 116-112, and 116-112, all in favor of “The Monster.” While Nakatani pushed him to the limit and flirted with an upset at times, Inoue’s precision and finishing authority ultimately swayed the officials.

With the victory, Inoue reasserts his complete dominance over the super bantamweight division and silences any lingering doubts about his ability to handle naturally bigger opponents. For the boxing world, this triumph inside the historic Tokyo Dome not only secures his four titles but further cements his legacy as one of the greatest fighters ever produced in Asian boxing history.