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The Guardian World1 min read
Japan’s Inoue beats Nakatani to retain undisputed super bantamweight title
TL;DR
Naoya Inoue successfully defended his undisputed super bantamweight title against Junto Nakatani with a unanimous decision in Tokyo. The fight, attended by 55,000 fans, marked Inoue's 28th consecutive victory in world title bouts.
Key points
- Naoya Inoue retained his super bantamweight title
- Inoue won by unanimous decision against Junto Nakatani
- Fight took place in Tokyo with 55,000 fans in attendance
- Judges scored the fight 116-112, 115-113, and 116-112
- Inoue's winning streak in title bouts is now 28
Mentioned in this story
Naoya InoueJunto NakataniTokyo
Japanese boxer Naoya Inoue has retained his undisputed super bantamweight world title with a unanimous decision victory over compatriot Junto Nakatani after a gripping 12-round contest in Tokyo.
Inoue said he was “relieved” to beat Nakatani and stay unbeaten in front of 55,000 fans at a sold-out Tokyo Dome on Saturday.
The 33-year-old, famous as the Monster, extended his winning streak in world title bouts to 28 as judges scored the fight 116-112, 115-113 and 116-112 in his favour.
“It was different to the fights I’ve had before, with the pressure. So I’m relieved that I won,” Inoue said afterwards.
“I don’t know if tonight was a legendary night or not, but that’s coming soon.
“Tonight isn’t the end point of my boxing career, and there’s still time to create more legendary occasions.”
Inoue and Nakatani in action during their super bantamweight championship bout [Yuichi Yamazaki/AFP]
Both boxers entered the bout unbeaten at 32-0 in a contest billed as the biggest boxing match in Japanese history after Nakatani moved up a division late last year.
Inoue charged early before Nakatani appeared to close the gap in the latter half of the fight as the pace intensified, but a clash of heads late in the 10th round opened a cut above the challenger’s eye and stalled his momentum.
“Today I executed the plan that I’d been saying before the fight, to stay focused on winning, to make sure I was the one who came out as the winner,” Inoue said.
“As you all know, Nakatani is a mentally strong boxer. The fact that he is in the [top 10] pound-for-pound rankings makes this win worthwhile.”
The win improved Inoue’s overall record to 33 victories, with 27 knockouts (KOs).
Nakatani, who has held world titles in three different weight classes, was looking to catapult himself into the sport’s top echelons with a win.
Nicknamed “Big Bang”, the 28-year-old regularly features in The Ring magazine’s top 10 pound-for-pound rankings, which rate the world’s best boxers regardless of weight class.
He was fighting only his second bout at super bantamweight, and he used his longer reach to hold Inoue at bay early in the fight.
Q&A
What was the score of the Inoue vs. Nakatani fight?
The judges scored the fight 116-112, 115-113, and 116-112 in favor of Naoya Inoue.
How many fans attended the Inoue vs. Nakatani match?
The match was attended by 55,000 fans at a sold-out Tokyo Dome.
What title did Naoya Inoue retain after defeating Nakatani?
Naoya Inoue retained his undisputed super bantamweight world title.
How many consecutive wins does Inoue have in world title bouts?
Naoya Inoue extended his winning streak in world title bouts to 28.
