Inoue Wins Broad Resolution Over Alan Picasso

Picasso began with intent. Taller and longer, he worked behind his jab and targeted the body, willing to exchange and comfortable enough to stay in range. For a time, he made the bout look like a real contest rather than a formality, landing clean shots and refusing to retreat.

That phase did not last. Inoue adjusted quickly and took control without changing the tempo of the fight. He focused on the body, broke down Picasso’s balance, and began winning exchanges more cleanly as the rounds passed. The work was systematic rather than spectacular, with fewer moments of chaos than some of Inoue’s recent finishes.

From the middle rounds on, the gap became clear. Picasso remained durable and active, but his offense flattened as Inoue’s accuracy and timing took over. Even late, when Picasso was urged to press, there was little sense that the fight was shifting. Inoue stayed composed, answered pressure with counters, and closed rounds without urgency.

The bout went the distance, marking one of the clearer decision wins of Inoue’s run at 122. It capped a year in which he fought four times, retained his undisputed status, and showed that his control can be just as decisive as his power.

Picasso leaves with his first loss, having shown toughness and ambition but also the limits of that approach against an elite operator. For Inoue, the win did not redefine his standing, but it reinforced it — another night where the result felt inevitable long before the final scores were read.

With Junto Nakatani also winning on the same card, the focus now shifts forward. The long-discussed all-Japanese meeting between the two remains intact, and after this performance, Inoue arrives there not needing a statement — only continuity.

Punch stats:

• Inoue 167 of 364 for 46% connect rate
• Picasso 107 of 267 for 40%