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Naoya Inoue vs. Junto Nakatani, Japan’s Biggest Boxing Showdown Set for 2026

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Michael Aldon | Last updated Aug 6, 2025 5:27 PM ET

Japanese boxing sensation Naoya "The Monster" Inoue is undoubtedly the most popular active boxer out of Asia, becoming a global sensation by conquering four weight classes and currently reigning over super bantamweight (122 lbs). Rising in parallel is fellow countryman Junto Nakatani, an undefeated three-division world champion who himself has dominated his competition at bantamweight (118 lbs).

Both have emerged as twin pillars of Japanese boxing, carving paths to dominance with undefeated records and devastating knockout power. The long-anticipated all-Japanese clash between the two, verbally agreed upon at a Tokyo awards ceremony, will be a rare collision of two generational talents.

Now, Nakatani has officially confirmed his move up to the 122-pound division, vacating his WBC and IBF bantamweight titles in pursuit of a historic showdown with undisputed super bantamweight king Naoya Inoue.

During a recent recording for Japanese TV program WOWOW’s Excite Match SP series, Nakatani revealed, “I'm making adjustments to move up to super bantamweight in the next fight, and I think I'll be relinquishing my bantamweight titles soon."

Nakatani solidified his status as one of the sport’s elite fighters with a dominant run at 118 pounds. His last fight was a brutal sixth-round stoppage of Ryosuke Nishida in June to unify the WBC and IBF belts.

In his TV appearance, he rewatched his fight with Nishida, which he won by TKO in the sixth round, and said, "I can only see things I need to improve."

The fight between Nakatani and Inoue is now targeted for May 2026, setting the stage for one of the biggest fights in boxing history.

With few challenges left at bantamweight, the 27-year-old southpaw has opted to test himself in a new weight class, eyeing a chance to become a four-division champion against Inoue.

This future bout may be the most significant Japan vs. Japan boxing match since the Kazuto Ioka vs. Akira Yaegashi back in 2012. The stakes are incredibly high, as legacy, pound-for-pound supremacy, and the claim as the face of Japanese boxing is on the line.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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