Inoue picks a quiet night
Inoue (31-0, 27 KOs) doesn’t need to prove anything to anyone, yet here he is, fighting a man whose best win is still being debated in Mexico. Picasso (32-0-1, 17 KOs) looks the part—tall featherweight frame, tidy output, decent ring IQ—but there’s been no moment in his career that suggests he can control Inoue’s rhythm or timing.
Inoue’s last three fights told us plenty. He walked through Marlon Tapales, handled Luis Nery’s early chaos, and then outboxed Akhmadaliev clean. The only small cracks are age and motivation—he’s 32, fighting a man who can’t push him physically or tactically. Picasso’s main value here is to see if Inoue can stay disciplined when the threat level drops.
If there’s risk, it’s the kind veteran fighters stumble on: pacing and boredom. Fighters like Inoue, who thrive on danger, sometimes drift when the stakes fall. Picasso’s jab and long reach could steal early rounds if Inoue decides to coast.
What’s worse, a night like this doesn’t build anything. It’s a paycheck and a tune-up disguised as prestige.
What the undercard actually tells us
Junto Nakatani vs. Sebastian Hernandez Reyes is the real fight. Nakatani’s hopping to 122 to see if he can eat shots before hunting Inoue next year. Hernandez? He’s that hammer who flattens guys waiting for a slow fight.
A loss kills the Tokyo Dome dream fight that’s already half-promised. Nakatani’s team knows it. That pressure can tighten a fighter’s stance, slow reaction, and mess with punch selection. Reyes doesn’t throw a lot, but every punch means something.
Hayato Tsutsumi vs. Jazza Dickens: Japan’s shoving Tsutsumi at Dickens before he turns 30 and gets left behind. Dickens is the classic roughhouse Brit—awkward, tough, loves mauling inside. Tsutsumi looks sharp on paper but hasn’t eaten enough pro leather to handle that mess yet.
Kenshiro Teraji vs. Willibaldo Garcia looks like matchmaking amnesia. Teraji lost his belt in July after getting drilled by right hands he never adjusted to, yet he’s getting a title shot up a division. Garcia’s record doesn’t scream danger, but he’s active and scrappy. The question: can Teraji take 115‑lb punches after blinking all night against Sandoval? If he can’t, his flyweight elegance won’t matter here.
Taiga Imanaga vs. Armando Martinez and Reito Tsutsumi vs. Quintana Sanchez are filler for the Riyadh crowd—polished prospects on safe tracks. They’ll look sharp, bank rounds, and disappear from memory by Sunday.
Behind the card: money and maneuver
Turki Alalshikh’s fingerprints are everywhere. The “Ring V” card isn’t about merit—it’s about keeping Riyadh relevant between heavyweight spectacles. DAZN gets content, Japan gets exposure, and the fighters get paid.
Still, Inoue’s walking a knife’s edge. His whole “Monster” rep rides on pretending every opponent is life-or-death. This one doesn’t. It’s risk disguised as routine—win comfortably, risk nothing big, but stay active enough for next year’s Tokyo Dome date.
What happens if it goes wrong
If Inoue slips, gets cut, or looks disinterested, the aura fades. The “Monster” label doesn’t survive flat performances. It’s not the loss—it’s the image of control. Picasso might not beat him, but making Inoue look human would shift leverage in every future negotiation, especially with Nakatani’s camp waiting.
For Nakatani, a bad night makes Inoue–Nakatani dead before it starts. For Teraji, another knockout would end the career whispers permanently. For Riyadh, dull fights end the pretense of legitimacy in lower-weight divisions.
It’s a sharp card on paper, but these fights aren’t showcases—they’re minefields for favorites trying to protect the next payday.
Event: The Ring V: Night of the Samurai
Date: December 27, 2025
Venue: Mohammed Abdo Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Broadcast: Live on DAZN
