Japan’s Inoue beats Nakatani to retain undisputed super bantamweight title
Key takeaways
- Naoya Inoue wins 116-112, 115-113, 116-112 in a fight billed as the biggest boxing match in Japanese history.
- Inoue said he was “relieved” to beat Nakatani and stay unbeaten in front of 55,000 fans at a sold-out Tokyo Dome on Saturday.
- The 33-year-old, famous as the Monster, extended his winning streak in world title bouts to 28 as judges scored the fight 116-112, 115-113 and 116-112 in his favour.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Naoya Inoue wins 116-112, 115-113, 116-112 in a fight billed as the biggest boxing match in Japanese history.
xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogle Add Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Naoya Inoue celebrates after defeating Junto Nakatani to retain his super bantamweight championship bout at the Tokyo Dome in Japan, on May 2, 2026 [Yuichi Yamazaki/AFP]By AFP and Reuters Published On 3 May 20263 May 2026Japanese boxer Naoya Inoue has retained his undisputed super bantamweight world title with a unanimous decision victory over compatriot Junto Nakatani after a gripping 12-round contest in Tokyo.
Inoue said he was “relieved” to beat Nakatani and stay unbeaten in front of 55,000 fans at a sold-out Tokyo Dome on Saturday.