Comments Thread For: Fight between superstar Naoya Inoue and maturing Junto Nakatani 'makes sense' for 2025

[BoxingUpdates]

Watching Junto Nakatani lift his record to 29-0 with a 22nd knockout to close a two-day festival of title fights in Tokyo last week left Top Rank President Todd DuBoef feeling quite confident over a matter certain to thrill the boxing public.
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[famicommander]

They won't do this in the US, it's too big of a domestic fight not to do in Tokyo Dome.

Goodman in Tokyo, Akhmadaliev in the US, then Nakatani back in Tokyo. Then featherweight back in the US or UK.

[BoxWhere]

BTW about that IBF purse bid. It turns out IBF made a mistake by calling for purse bid. Because Inoue and Goodman have already signed the contract for December fight. And the press conference for the fight wll be announced soon in Tokyo.

[crimsonfalcon07]

I hope Nakatani gets some interim fights, because even though he crushed his opponent in his title defense, he got hit with things you don't want to get hit by if it's Monster Inoue. He didn't look ready for the big one to me.

[Elheath]

I hope Nakatani gets some interim fights, because even though he crushed his opponent in his title defense, he got hit with things you don't want to get hit by if it's Monster Inoue. He didn't look ready for the big one to me.

The greedy ego in me who likes them both would love to see Inoue-Nakatani at 122 next year where Inoue wins and then move to 126 while Nakatani stays at 122, and then a rematch in like 3-4 years at 126 between undisputed 126 Inoue (close to retiring) and undisputed 122 Nakatani (recollected them after Inoue vacated) clash where Nakatani wins this time to pass the torch at the top.

December Inoue-Goodman Tokyo
February Nakatani vs 122 ranked contender Japan or US
April Inoue-MJ Vegas
Summer Inoue-Nakatani Tokyo

I don't give a fudge about plastic wrapped "undefeated" record that became a religion in the US. Gimme good fights and lots of them!

[Elheath]

Whether I agree with a guy who is winless in 2 years and got brutally knocked out in their last fight being ranked No. 1 on the division above aside, the fact that Estrada is placed at No. 1 on WBC 118 actually gives a good alternate for Nakatani, if he can't get an unification with the other three beltholders. Estrada is one of the few lower weight guys that US boxing fans would somewhat know and still has name value good enough for Nakatani to KO. The big issue is Estrada's promoter, but since he's Matchroom (I think?), maybe they can get it as a set with MJ.

December 122 Inoue-Goodman in Tokyo (Ariake). Undercard with Takei's voluntary defense on semi, and the rest filled out with non-title fights by the notable ranked Ohashi guys that didn't fight on the October Teiken 7-title card, such as 130 Masanori Rikiishi or a return match for 112 Taku Kuwahara since his loss to Akui in May. Not sure about Sasaki or Hiraoka but they are a possibility too.

April 122 Inoue-MJ, co-main 118 Nakatani-Estrada in Vegas. Possibly add on an easy voluntary defense for 126 Angelo Leo, a random Bruce Carrington showing against another contender, and other Top Rank guys in the lighter weights as well. Hell, in my delusional dream world it will become a Top Rank/Matchroom 5 vs 5 but that might be asking for too much, especially if Turki is no longer willing to fund cards outside Saudi.

Summer/Fall 122 Inoue-Nakatani in Tokyo Dome redux. Undercard involving the Ohashi guys like Takei (crossing fingers he doesn't lose in December), maybe request Top Rank for a Brian Norman-Jin Sasaki world title match at 147 which would be a huge deal as there has never been a Japanese champion at welterweight ever and they can sell it as a challenge for history, also might be better money for Norman instead of an auto-loss at a lesser venue against Boots plus even if Norman loses the belt would technically be part of Top Rank friendly promoter (Ohashi).

December 126 Inoue vs one of the Top Rank beltholders (Leo or winner of Espinoza-Robeisy 2). Location and undercard TBD.