Boxing fans in the Philippines and around the world are in for a monumental treat. The long-awaited super-fight between Japanese pound-for-pound king Naoya "Monster" Inoue and his formidable countryman Junto Nakatani is now official. This historic all-Japan clash is scheduled for May 2, 2026, at the iconic 55,000-seat Tokyo Dome in Japan.
A Battle of Undefeated Champions
This fight represents a rare meeting of two elite, undefeated champions at the peak of their powers. Inoue will be putting his undisputed super bantamweight championship on the line against Nakatani, a fellow legitimate knockout artist who is moving up in weight for this colossal challenge.
The matchup became a reality after Nakatani made the decisive move to climb from the bantamweight division, which he had thoroughly dominated. Both fighters are coming off highly active and successful campaigns in the previous year. Naoya Inoue defended his unified titles four times in 2025, successfully retaining his WBC, WBA, IBF, and WBO super bantamweight belts.
Impeccable Records on the Line
On the other side, Junto Nakatani fought three times in 2025, successfully unifying the WBC and IBF bantamweight titles to establish himself as the clear top contender. The statistics behind this fight are staggering and promise a high-level contest.
The fighters' professional records highlight their dominance and power:
- Naoya Inoue: 32 wins, 0 losses, with 27 victories coming by way of knockout.
- Junto Nakatani: 32 wins, 0 losses, with 24 of those wins ending inside the distance.
What This Fight Means for Boxing
This event is poised to be one of the biggest in Japanese boxing history, drawing global attention to the Tokyo Dome. For Filipino fight fans, who deeply appreciate technical brilliance and explosive power, this is a must-watch event. It pits two of the sport's most skilled operators against each other, with the winner cementing their legacy as the premier fighter from a nation renowned for its boxing excellence.
The stakes could not be higher. Not only are all the major world titles at 122 pounds on the line, but also the perfect '0' in the loss column for both future Hall of Famers. The boxing world will be watching closely as May 2, 2026, approaches.
