(Lemino BOXING PR事務局)
YOKOHAMA, Japan – Naoya Inoue was in high spirits at the customary day-after press conference at the Ohashi Boxing Gym in Yokohama, Japan.
Inoue sat alongside his brother Takuma Inoue, the WBC bantamweight titlist, after both men successfully defended their world titles on Saturday night at the Tokyo Dome. For Naoya, it meant overcoming the toughest challenger available to him at junior featherweight, edging Junto Nakatani by unanimous decision to retain his undisputed crown.
The bout, featuring two fighters from Kanagawa, had been billed as the biggest in Japanese boxing history – and it delivered. Momentum swung throughout, with both men enjoying spells of success, but it was Inoue who did enough down the stretch to separate himself on the scorecards.
Given how competitive the contest proved, talk of a rematch is inevitable. Nakatani appeared to be building into the fight during the middle rounds, only for the momentum to shift again after an accidental clash of heads left him cut in the 10th, allowing Inoue to close strongly over the final sessions.
“I don’t know. If there’s enough demand, I think a second fight is possible,” Inoue said, now 33-0 (27 KOs), translated from Japanese. “As I mentioned yesterday, I have options ahead, but it’s a blank slate. I’m also considering going to a different stage. I’ll discuss that with [promoter] Mr [Hideyuki] Ohashi.”
One would think that by “a different stage” Inoue was referring to a move up in weight, but moments from Saturday suggest there may still be unfinished business closer to home.
One exchange in particular summed up the fight. Midway through a high-level exchange of punches, both men slipped and countered in unison, neither able to land cleanly before briefly sharing a smile. It was a rare, almost surreal moment in a contest that oozed respect between the two.
“I was fighting while feeling Nakatani’s technique and fighting spirit,” Inoue said. “I think he felt the same way. I think we were both enjoying the space where neither of us could land a hit. I think that smile came naturally from that.”
That mutual respect did not prevent Inoue from seizing control when it mattered most. Following the cut to Nakatani in the 10th session, Inoue registered his most dominant round of the contest. Hurting Nakatani multiple times and damaging his orbital bone with a left hand.
“I wasn’t 100 per cent determined to…
2026-05-03 13:02:38
