Naoya Inoue and Junto Nakatani both preserved their perfect records with decisive victories at the Riyadh Season card on December 28, successfully setting the stage for a historic all-Japanese undisputed junior featherweight unification fight targeted for 2026.
Inoue, the undisputed champion, made the seventh defense of his titles against Mexico's David Picasso. The dominant performance was reflected on the judges' scorecards, which read 119-109, 120-108, and 117-111, all in favor of 'The Monster'. Despite the wide scores, the pound-for-pound king was critical of his own work.
'I wasn't very happy about my performance, I could have done much better, so I will learn from this,' Inoue stated after the fight.
On the same card, Junto Nakatani successfully navigated his debut at 122 pounds, earning a unanimous decision over Sebastian Hernandez. The judges scored the contest 115-113, 115-113, and a wider 118-110 to maintain Nakatani's unblemished record. The move up in weight class is a strategic one for Nakatani, a former champion in lower divisions, as he immediately positions himself for a shot at the top of the sport.
'It was a great learning experience for me...I change my weight class to aim for the world champion,' Nakatani said, confirming his intentions.
The twin victories clear the path for one of the most anticipated events in boxing. The prospective bout pits two undefeated Japanese superstars, both considered elite pound-for-pound talents, against one another for all the marbles at junior featherweight. The fight is already being billed as the biggest in Japanese boxing history, a monumental event for the sport in the country.
Inoue acknowledged the significance of the moment and the potential spectacle for fans. 'Both of us had a very good win tonight...for the Japanese fans, you can expect something very good,' he remarked, looking ahead to the future clash.
With both fighters now having handled their business in Riyadh, the boxing world turns its attention to 2026. Negotiations are expected to proceed swiftly to finalize a date and venue for this colossal unification fight, an event that promises to captivate a global audience and crown an undisputed Japanese king.