Saturday night in Saudi Arabia, undisputed super bantamweight champ Naoya "The Monster" Inoue won impressively, yet again, and will now likely turn his sights to fellow Japanese star Junto Nakatani next.
Undisputed super bantamweight world champion Naoya "The Monster" Inoue delivered another commanding performance on Saturday night in his debut in the Middle East, outpointing Mexico’s Alan David Picasso over 12 rounds. And now, he moves closer to a potential pound-for-pound super fight with fellow Japanese star Junto Nakatani.
Inoue headlined the “Night of the Samurai” card in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he earned a unanimous decision victory with scores of 120-108, 119-109, and 117-111. The win improved Inoue’s immaculate professional record to 32-0, including 27 knockouts, and further cemented his reputation as one of the most complete fighters of his generation. And, with 26 straight world title fight wins Inoue is regarded is one of the top two "pound for pound" fighters in the game.
Against the little known Mexican Picasso, Inoue showcased his trademark blend of speed, power, and precision, controlling the fight from start to finish. He was particularly effective to the body while keeping Picasso on the defensive. While the Mexican challenger showed toughness and resilience, he was simply unable to match Inoue’s timing or ring IQ, as the champion systematically piled up rounds to coast to his fourth title win of this calendar year.
Earlier on the same card, three-weight world champion Junto Nakatani battled through a badly swollen right eye in the final few rounds defeating Sebastian Hernandez on points in his debut bout at the 122 lb. weight. Nakatani’s victory, combined with Inoue’s dominant display, has fueled excitement around a possible showdown between the two Japanese icons in the Spring of 2026. It's a contest widely viewed as the biggest fight in the history of Japanese boxing.
Speaking to DAZN after the fight, Inoue acknowledged the significance of the night and the growing anticipation among fans. “Both of us had a very good win tonight,” he said. “We will have to wait and see. But for the Japanese fans, you can expect something very good.”
The 32-year-old four-division world champion, and former bantamweight undisputed king continues to strengthen his claim as the best fighter in the sport Saturday night's performance was so impressive that he was congratulated in the ring afterward by undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk, adding another memorable moment to an already historic night in Saudi Arabia.
As for the 27-year-old Nakatani he's now 32-0, 24 KOs, and further boosted his case for the Inoue fight after vacating his two bantamweight titles and moving up to the Monster's division.
Now, Inoue also floated the idea of a potential showdown with super flyweight champion Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez of San Antonio, TX, provided Rodriguez can compete effectively at super bantamweight in the near future on the global stage.
However, the mega-fight with Nakatani is likely next.