The long-anticipated all-Japan superfight between Naoya Inoue and Junto Nakatani is nearing a place on the 2026 boxing calendar after spending more than a year on parallel tracks.
BoxingScene has confirmed that the bout is targeted for May 2 at the Tokyo Dome. Inoue is expected to defend his undisputed super bantamweight championship, while Nakatani would enter seeking to become a four-division titleholder, a distinction shared by only a small group in Japanese boxing history. Industry sources also indicate the card could include multiple championship bouts.
Confusion around the date has followed the fight for months. Several outlets reported a May 5 event after WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman referenced Cinco de Mayo weekend in public remarks. That interpretation ignored the Dome’s existing schedule. The venue is booked from May 3 through May 6 for a Nippon Professional Baseball series between the Yomiuri Giants and the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, with May 3 reserved for the opening game of Japan’s X League football season. May 2 remains the workable option.
The matchup itself has been publicly discussed since both fighters shared the stage at the 2024 Japanese Boxing Commission awards. Inoue used the moment to call for a domestic showdown that had already become a topic across the sport. Nakatani accepted on the spot.
Inoue followed that exchange with one of the busiest championship years of the modern era. He made four successful title defenses during 2025, then added two more victories, including wide decision wins over former unified champion Murodjon Akhmadaliev and unbeaten contender Alan David Picasso.
Nakatani’s path moved just as deliberately. He unified the WBC and IBF bantamweight titles with a stoppage win over Ryosuke Nishida, closing his run at 118 pounds undefeated and with knockout victories in each appearance. Shortly afterward, he announced his move to super bantamweight, removing the final structural barrier to a meeting with Inoue.
His debut at 122 pounds came on the same Riyadh Season card headlined by Inoue. Nakatani earned a unanimous decision over Sebastian Hernandez, though the bout drew scrutiny. One wide scorecard remains under review, and Nakatani finished the fight with his right eye swollen shut.
Even so, both fighters left the event unbeaten and aligned on the same path.
The pieces are finally in place for the fight to be made.
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Last Updated on 01/07/2026
