Naoya Inoue vs. Junto Nakatani: Picks, predictions...
Key takeaways
- Nakatani will be making his second appearance at junior featherweight in an all-Japanese showdown between two of the sport's most dangerous punchers.
- On that same card, Nakatani (32-0, 24 KOs) edged Sebastian Hernandez by scores of 115-113, 115-113 and 118-110 to secure the Inoue matchup.
- Can Inoue's movement and body work neutralize Nakatani's southpaw power and disrupt his jab?
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
Naoya Inoue, left, puts his WBA, WBC, IBF, and WBO junior featherweight titles on the line against Junto Nakatani in Tokyo on Saturday. Photo by Kazuhiro NOGI / AFP via Getty Images Andres Ferrari Apr 30, 2026, 07:47 AM ETClose Andres Ferrari is ESPN.com's boxing and MMA senior editor.Multiple Authors Email Print Open Extended Reactions One of boxing's elite returns to the ring Saturday for what could be his toughest test yet. Naoya Inoue defends his undisputed junior featherweight championship against WBC bantamweight titleholder Junto Nakatani (DAZN, 3 a.m. ET) at Tokyo Dome.
Nakatani will be making his second appearance at junior featherweight in an all-Japanese showdown between two of the sport's most dangerous punchers. Both are multidivision champions and ranked among ESPN's pound-for-pound best, Inoue at No. 2 and Nakatani at No. 6. Inoue is one of only three men to become undisputed in two divisions -- alongside Oleksandr Usyk and Terence Crawford -- while Nakatani has also held titles at junior bantamweight and flyweight.
Inoue (32-0, 27 KOs) is coming off a dominant decision win over David Picasso in December, with scores of 119-109, 120-108 and 117-111 -- his fourth victory of 2025, and enters the fight against Nakatani as a -400 favorite to win, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. On that same card, Nakatani (32-0, 24 KOs) edged Sebastian Hernandez by scores of 115-113, 115-113 and 118-110 to secure the Inoue matchup.