Naoya Inoue Moves a Stride Nearer to Landmark Tokyo Showdown After Commanding Victory.
The undisputed super-bantamweight king paved the way for a highly-anticipated all-Japanese super-fight by successfully defending his championship belts with a unanimous decision over the Mexican challenger in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.
A Controlled Performance Over Twelve Rounds
Universally considered as one of the planet's top pound-for-pound fighters, Inoue was in total command from the first round. He stifled the once-undefeated challenger with a combination of pinpoint accuracy, blistering speed, and sustained aggression. The scorecards confirmed his superiority with lopsided scores of 117-111, 119-109, and 120-108.
“I could have done better,” remarked the champion post-fight. “I am happy with the win, but I feel exhausted. I'll rest and be much better next time.”
Even while conceding considerable height and reach to his opponent, the champion imposed his will with crisp counters and hurtful combinations to the body. He stunned Picasso midway through the bout and consistently broke through his guard, forcing him into a largely defensive posture as the fight progressed.
Setting the Stage for a National Blockbuster
The win arranges a potential historic encounter with compatriot Junto Nakatani. Nakatani scored his own win on the undercard, earning a points victory in his debut at the super-bantamweight limit.
“I moved up to this division to win world titles,” said the undefeated contender. “If I get that chance, I want to take it.”
The champion responded in kind while stopping short of a firm commitment. “Both of us had very good wins tonight,” he noted. “For next year, we will decide what happens. But Japanese fans should expect something very good.”
The Prospect of a Historic Battle
If finalized, an Inoue–Nakatani fight—widely rumored for 3 May at the legendary Tokyo Dome—would feature two unbeaten, multi-weight champions in their physical primes. This represents a unique event in today's sport and is considered by experts as a candidate to be the most significant contest in Japan's rich boxing history.
