Naoya Inoue vs. Junto Nakatani live result, updates, highlights as Japanese superstars meet in undisputed mega-fight

By | May 2, 2026
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Naoya Inoue faces potentially the greatest challenge of his incredible career when he takes on fellow Japanese superstar Junto Nakatani at the Tokyo Dome on Saturday.

A sold-out crowd of 55,000 will watch four-weight champion Inoue (32-0, 27 KOs) make the seventh defence of his undisputed super bantamweight crown.

Nakatani (32-0, 24 KOs) is a three-weight champion himself and will box at the 122-pound limit for the second time against a pound-for-pound superstar, who has blazed a trail for this generation of Japanese boxers.

Will the king retain his throne, or will the crown be passed on to a man five years his junior?

In the chief support bout, Inoue’s brother Takuma Inoue defends the WBC bantamweight title – formerly held by Nakatani – against veteran hero Kazuto Ioka.

The Sporting News is providing live coverage and results from the Inoue vs. Nakatani card and round-by-round coverage of the main event.

Naoya Inoue vs. Junto Nakatani results

  • Naoya Inoue (c) vs. Junto Nakatani for the WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO, and The Ring super bantamweight titles
  • Takuma Inoue (c) def. Kazuto Ioka (UD 12) to retain the WBC bantamweight title
  • Yoshiki Takei vs. Dekang Wang; Super Bantamweights
  • Jin Sasaki def. Sora Tanaka (SD 10); Welterweights
  • Toshiki Shimomachi def. Reiya Abe (MD 10); Featherweights
  • Kosuke Tomioka drew w/ Shogo Tanaka (SD 10); Flyweights
  • Yuito Moriwaki def. Deok No Yun (SD 10); Super Middleweights

Naoya Inoue vs. Junto Nakatani live fight updates, highlights from 2025 boxing card

7:59 a.m. ET/ 12:59p.m. BST: Takai got nicely into his work in the first couple of rounds but the third was a big one for Wang, who had the former kickboxing star in trouble after a short right uppercut to the chin. The visitor will be keen to explore what demons remain from Takai’s stoppage loss to Cristian Medina.

7:45 a.m. ET/ 12:45 p.m. BST: We still have one more fight before the big one, with Yoshiki Takei seeking to get back on the path towards world titles in a super bantamweight showcase against China’s Dekang Wang. Takuma Inoue’s world title fight was not immediately before his brother’s blockbuster with Junto Nakatani because father Singo Inoue is coach to both of his sons.

Takuma Inoue retains WBC bantamweight title

Ioka gamely gets to the final bell after Inoue looked to lay it on thick during the final round. It still amounts to a very authoritative win for the younger Inoue brother, who gets it via deserved and yawningly wide margins of 120-106,  119-107 and 118-108. Ioka is given a WBC medallion and is applauded from the ring. That might be that for a modern legend of the Japanese fight game.

7:05 a.m. ET/ 12:05 p.m. BST: Open scoring has the bout 80-70 and 79-71 twice to Inoue, who is having things all his own way against a fighter in Ioka, who looks an old man tonight. Inoue could really push for the stoppage if he wants to here.

6:50 a.m. ET/ 11:50 a.m. BST: This bout has WBC open scoring, which is announced in the arena after the fourth and eighth rounds. Two judges saw it 39-35 to Inoue, with those two knockdowns, while the other had it a 40-34 shutout a third of the way through the scheduled distance. That was a touch harsh on Ioka, who recovered well to win the fourth, although Inoue got back to his smooth, authoritative boxing to dominate the fifth.

6:44 a.m. ET/ 11:44 a.m. BST: Inoue has started beautifully behind the jab against the smaller man so far and down goes Ioka in the second! Inoue, who is not a noted power-puncher like his brother, steadied Ioka with an overhand right and another backhand put the challenger on the canvas at the end of a follow-up volley. Ioka now down with an uppercut in the third! Inoue on the brink, with two minutes left in the round. Inoue’s speed and timing are on point, his right uppercut looking sharp. Ioka’s experience gets him to the end of the session but how much has he got left?

6:20 a.m. ET/ 11:20 a.m. BST: Ringwalks are underway for our co-main event. Naoya Inoue and Junto Nakatani are rightly spoken of as being among Japan’s greatest ever fighters, but Kazuto Ioka certainly belongs in that conversation. The 37-year-old veteran challenges Naoya’s brother Takuma Inoue for the WBC bantamweight title. Ioka has ruled across four divisions, from strawweight to super flyweight. If he dethrones Inoue tonight, he will become the seventh member of an elite club of men to call themselves five-division champions. Tommy Hearns, Sugar Ray Leonard. Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao and Terence Crawford is company worth keeping.

6 a.m. ET/ 11 a.m. BST: It looks like some atmosphere at the Tokyo Dome. Ring Magazine editor Tom Gray, formerly of this parish, is on the ground. No loitering in the casino or the pub until the main event in Tokyo. Those fans packed into this iconic venue have just been treated to an absolute barnburner and another split decision. One judge saw 10 welterweight rounds 96-94 in favour of former amateur standout Sora Tanaka, but the two others gave it to former world title challenger Jin Sasaki 97-93 and 96-94.

5:30 a.m. ET/ 10:30 a.m. BST: Japanese promoters have a well-earned reputation for putting on well-matched cards without so many knock-over contents. This one so far is a case in point. The three bouts so far – Toshiki Shimomachi’s featherweight win over veteran former world title challenger Reiya Abe, Yuito Moriwaka’s rematch victory against Deok No Yun at super middleweight and the flyweight draw between Kosuke Tomioka and Shogo Tanaka have all gone the distance and there’s not been a unanimous verdict in any of them. Moriwaki prevailed by split and majority decision, respectively, while the flyweights boxed to a split draw.

5 a.m. ET/ 10 a.m. BST: Hello and welcome to The Sporting News’ live coverage of Naoya Inoue vs. Junto Nakatani. The two undefeated superstars of Japanese boxing clash for undisputed super bantamweight glory in a fight for the ages before a sold-out crowd of 55,000 at the Tokyo Dome. Stick a pot of coffee on and come and join us. It’s going to be epic. The fight, that is. I mean, I’m sure your coffee is good too.

MORE INOUE-NAKATANI NEWS:

Naoya Inoue vs. Junto Nakatani start time

  • Date: Saturday, May 2
  • Start time: 4 a.m. ET | 1 a.m. PT | 9 a.m. BST
  • Main event start time (approx.): 8 a.m. ET | 5 a.m. PT | 1 p.m. BST
  • Location: Tokyo Dome – Tokyo, Japan

Naoya Inoue vs. Junto Nakatani is on May 2. The main card starts at 4 a.m. ET and the main event should begin around 8 a.m. ET, depending on how long the undercard fights last. 

Where to watch Naoya Inoue vs. Junto Nakatani

  • Live Stream: DAZN 

Naoya Inoue vs. Junto Nakatani will be available on DAZN worldwide.

A DAZN monthly subscription is $19.99 on a 12-month contract or $29.99 month-to-month. The annual subscription is $224.99.

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