Reports that Junto Nakatani suffered a left orbital bone fracture in his fight against Naoya Inoue which could jeopardize a possible rematch in the short term.
Naoya Inoue reaffirmed his status as one of boxing’s elite pound-for-pound fighters with a hard-fought unanimous-decision victory over Junto Nakatani on Saturday night at the Tokyo Dome.
The bout, billed as the biggest fight in Japanese boxing history, delivered on its hype. A sold-out crowd of 55,000 packed the venue, contributing to a reported $32 million gate, while the event also generated approximately 500,000 pay-per-view buys on Lemino. Inside the ring, the action reflected the magnitude of the occasion, with both fighters showcasing elite skill and resilience.
Through the first ten rounds, Nakatani held his own against the undisputed junior featherweight champion. The contest remained tightly contested, with one judge scoring it even heading into the championship rounds, while the other two had Inoue ahead by narrow margins.
The turning point came late in the fight. In the 10th round, Nakatani suffered a cut near his left eyebrow following an accidental headbutt, which began to compromise his defense. Inoue seized the opportunity in the 11th round, dramatically increasing his output and intensity. He landed a fight-high 24 punches and threw 68 in the round, repeatedly targeting Nakatani’s left eye with sharp right hands.
The sustained attack took a visible toll. Nakatani began to retreat under pressure, wincing as Inoue’s punches landed with increasing frequency and precision. Reports from Yahoo! Japan after the fight revealed that Nakatani suffered a fractured left orbital bone, likely caused by a right uppercut during that decisive 11th round.
Despite the injury, Nakatani showed grit by going the distance. The judges scored the bout 115–113, 116–112, and 116–112, all in favor of Inoue, who improved to 33-0 with 27 knockouts. Nakatani fell to 32-1, absorbing the first loss of his professional career but earning respect for his performance.
Following the fight, Nakatani addressed fans on social media, remaining upbeat despite the setback. “I have a few injuries, but I’ll heal up properly and fight again,” he said. “Thank you so much for all the support. It was so much fun.”
For Inoue, the victory further solidifies his dominance in the division and his global appeal. For Nakatani, the defeat—though physically punishing—demonstrates his toughness and suggests he will remain a significant force in the sport moving forward.
With all of this said, how much does the orbital bone fracture jeopardize a potential rematch between Inoue and Nakatani? Certainly this revelation will put more buzz behind a possible showdown between Inoue and Jesse "Bam" Rodriguez to happen sooner rather than later.
May 2nd clearly a day that will live in Infamy, at least in regards to orbital bone fractures. Zurdo Ramirez reportedly suffered one from the furious onslaught he received in Las Vegas this past Saturday night. That's two main events on the same day and two broken face bones.