Japanese boxing has been experiencing an incredible golden era over the last decade and a half. The dominance they exhibit, particularly in the lower weight classes, is a testament to the well-schooled, talented fighters they field. It is now culminating in the two best of their era facing off and putting their undefeated records on the line.
In the smaller weight categories, there were Manny Pacquiao and Nonito Donaire, two Filipinos who were both pound-for-pound fighters in the early 2010s. In the early 2000s, we had Barrera and Morales, two Mexican Hall of Fame fighters who gave us three of the best fights we have seen so far this century. This generation, it’s the turn of the Japanese to give us a once-in-a-generation fight.
In May, Naoya Inoue, widely considered the number one P4P fighter in the sport, takes on Junto Nakatani, who is also ranked in the top 10 P4P by most reputable journalists and magazines. With both fighters putting their undefeated records on the line at the Tokyo Dome on 2 May, is it the defining boxing event of this decade?
Naoya Inoue vs Junto Nakatani: Breaking down the odds
For those looking to split hairs and question whether this bout is the defining fight of the decade, the early betting odds suggest that Inoue is the considerable favourite going into this fight. It is understandable.
Although the bookies have Inoue to win on points as the most likely outcome, there are other markets that boxing betting covers. Boxing betting on Bovada leverages blockchain technology, allowing users to connect their crypto wallets and gamble with digital assets. The odds themselves are the same you’d find on more conventional boxing betting sites.
Many believe that crypto casinos are the future of online gambling, so it is not a surprise to see other areas of betting, including boxing betting, embracing the marvel of digital assets. But whatever way you look at it, Inoue is the strong favourite going into this one, and for good reason.
Does Naoya Inoue have the edge?
Inoue has competed at super bantamweight for years now; he has cleaned out the division, and Nakatani, despite being head and shoulders above anyone at bantamweight, has only had one fight at super bantamweight. They shared the bill in December 2025, with Inoue boxing to a 12-round shutout against Alan Picasso, and Nakatani struggling to impress against the extremely rugged, game, and underrated Sebastian Hernandez.
Many believe that the fight was much closer than the scorecards suggested. It’s clear to see why Inoue is favoured by many, and because of this, some within the boxing community believe this fight does not carry the same weight as the Canelo vs Crawford or Crawford vs Spence fights did.
These fights were much closer, according to the bookies, but as the Spence vs Crawford fight showed, just because the bookies have it close doesn’t mean it will be a close fight, and just because someone is a favourite doesn’t mean they will storm to victory with no bumps in the road.
Naoya Inoue’s crowning moment
Junto Nakatani is a P4P fighter for a reason. You do not end up in this list by accident. He has a string of impressive knockout wins at bantamweight and cleaned out the division in an extremely comfortable fashion. Some argue that the likes of Inoue and Nakatani aren’t as revered as fighters in higher weight classes, because they don’t face the same level of A-grade opposition that fighters at higher weights do. To put it bluntly, this is nonsense. It is a straw man argument.
Just because fighters are bigger doesn’t make the division deeper or better – it’s about individual talent. For instance, the middleweight division was once among the most decorated in the sport. It’s a barren wasteland at the moment.
Inoue has beaten many big names; his knockout of Steph Fulton was arguably his greatest moment. Fulton was a highly rated US fighter who has since beaten many of the top featherweights on the planet. Inoue annihilated him. It is the ease with which he has breezed through competition that has seen him pick up every accolade the sport can offer. If he beats Nakatani convincingly, for many people, this cements him as the greatest fighter of the decade, ahead of the likes of Usyk and Crawford.
True star power
Only a handful of times per decade will P4P fighters face off in their primes, and those fights are career-defining. We saw Bivol vs Beterbiev 1 and 2, captivating P4P fights. Canelo and Crawford also fit the bill, but Crawford was three weight classes above his natural weight, which made the win even more remarkable.
Nakatani has more to gain here, and he is a live underdog in this fight. Just because he didn’t put a dent in Hernandez, who has a chin of iron and is a big super bantamweight, doesn’t mean he can’t trouble Inoue. We’ve seen Luis Nery and Cardenas both put Inoue on the floor, so there’s plenty of scope for the upset here.
Whoever wins will be the face of Japanese boxing for a very long time – and will likely go down as the greatest Japanese boxer to have ever lived.