When boxing became an utter obsession back in the mid-90s, it was hard to imagine the likes of Barrera, Naz, and Tito Trinidad ever being replaced as my favourite fighters. In the years that followed, no other boxers captivated my imagination like the ones who got me hooked on the sport. That changed when Naoya “The Monster” Inoue came along. The young prodigy’s dynamic style, crunching body attack, and humble demeanour embodied everything there is to like about a boxer.
Living just across the East China Sea, a trip to see the Japanese “Monster” from ringside seemed feasible, but the timing was never right: close enough to be in reach, yet far enough to not quite be doable over a weekend. So, when a blockbuster showdown versus fellow undefeated, multi-weight champion Junto “Big Bang” Nakatani was scheduled for the extended May Day holiday, the stars finally aligned. A training partner eagerly jumped on board, and a superfight excursion suddenly became viable. Problem was, with the anticipated demand so high, chances of securing a ticket were slim. Sales went online at 5pm, March 6th; at exactly 5:02pm the message from my travel companion came through: “I did it! I have our tickets.” The trip was officially on.
Arriving Friday into a rain-swept Tokyo with hours to kill before the hotel’s 3 pm check-in, I armed myself with an umbrella from the nearest konbini store and wandered through the early morning rush hour amongst the white-collar workers, neatly dressed school children, and overnight revellers still returning home. A comatose salaryman lay against a pillar in the middle of Shinjuku’s sprawling station; a woman gently bumped head first into the ticket machine in front of me, dozing in and out of sleep on her feet. The clouds receded as I took in the streets of Kabukicho, snapping a few pics of the famous Godzilla head and surrounding alleys, before linking with my fight companion and whiling away the evening dissecting the Barrera vs Morales trilogy over steaming ramen noodles and cold Asahi, excitement bubbling for the big day ahead.
With the Tokyo Dome doors set to open at 1 pm, by midday crowds swelled on the short walk from the metro under a fabulous blue sky, the atmosphere outside already buzzing. A line for the merchandise tent stretched around the corner, several items marked as “sold out”. Swept along in a tide of shoppers, an Inoue t-shirt, glove keyring, and fight poster went into the basket without much thought. A “Monster” keychain card thrown in for free at the checkout softened the blow of the 12,000 Yen (£55) bill, and a lovely fight programme added to the souvenir stash.
Another hour of slow-moving queues later, I made it into the Dome, immediately greeted by a young lady holding a jet-pack of beer. Would I like one? Indeed, I would. “Sorry, no cash.” Bank card and mobile payment both being declined in rapid succession, and facing the grim prospect of nothing to eat or drink for the next ten hours, I elbowed my way through the concourse and pushed open the curtain, unveiling the vast 55,000 capacity arena. Midway through the opening bout, the stands were filling up quickly. Fortunately, my buddy was able to top up a metro card to spend at the food stalls, but the end of the lines snaked out of sight, every trip to the gent’s room costing a half-hour investment in the crammed corridors.
The undercard flew by, despite the horrendous queues between fights and all six contests going the distance. A domestic barnburner between Sora Tanaka and Jin Sasaki provided the highlight, while Inoue’s younger brother Takuma made an impressive defence of his WBC bantamweight title against local legend Kazuto Ioka in the chief support. A four-weight champion with retirement in sight, Ioka exited to rapturous applause in recognition of an excellent career, and it was great to see Terence “Bud” Crawford, seated ringside, get a huge reception, too.
Around 9:30pm emcee Michael Buffer signalled the commencement of the main event, Nakatani entering first, looking relaxed in a glittering gold robe. An epic ringwalk for the undisputed champ followed, flares and lights blazing to a raucous electric guitar solo, a spectacle to match any in Vegas, Wembley, or Riyadh Season history. Standing silently with the crowd for the national anthem, I took in a stirring panoramic view, Japanese flag flying on the huge overhead screens, anticipation oozing around the arena. Buffer’s iconic catchphrase was duly dispensed, another item ticked off my boxing bucket list, and then it was time.
The clash of stances and strategies was evident from the off, both men feinting, baiting, and posturing for position, a classic high-stakes chess match. Inoue was busier and more aggressive early, though overreaching at times; Nakatani was more reactive, looking to time a devastating left-hand counter, several whistling by just millimetres from impact. Things heated up by halfway as “Big Bang’s” offensive rhythm began to click, “The Monster” being forced onto the back foot, his usual repertoire of shots deserting him. Great match-ups inevitably produce ebbs and flows, and after a sustained wave of Nakatani momentum, the champ re-asserted himself, crashing home solid rights and leaping left uppercuts to stamp his authority down the final stretch.
Turning to each other at the final bell, my friend looked drained. “I feel like I haven’t breathed since the fight started. Who won?”
“Inoue. It will be unanimous.” I had no doubt. Savouring the atmosphere and absorbed in the action, I hadn’t kept a live round-by-round tally, but it appeared a clear 8-4, 7-5 type of fight to me, and that’s exactly how it was announced. Nakatani fought admirably and proved his worth beyond question, but Inoue came out a deserved winner against his biggest rival on his biggest ever stage.
And yet, there was a lingering sense the performance was somehow underwhelming. Had Junto’s chances been unfairly dismissed, or had the weight of expectation simply been too heavy? Inoue admitted afterwards to feeling “relieved”, acknowledging the huge toll on his mental stamina. Perhaps there was also evidence that his skills were, at 33, ever-so-slightly in decline. Or perhaps, more pertinently, we just saw a great fighter do what he should against an elite opponent: battling, adapting, resurging, triumphing.
Leaving the stadium proved almost harder than getting in, thousands of bodies plodding one-by-one through the revolving exits. Stepping outside and heaving a huge sigh under the glowing Dome, the throngs and the big-fight energy dissipated into the night as we headed across town on foot, avoiding the subway. A cry of “Nao-ya!” from a passing group briefly caught us off guard; realising it was a shout-out to my “Monster” t-shirt, we returned the friendly smiles and thumbs ups with shouts of Inoue! Inoue!
Arriving at the Golden Gai, a warren of narrow alleys comprising over 200 tiny box bars, we shook off an especially persistent tout, ducking inside a random doorway. “Hi. Our cover charge– Huh, Inoue fight?!”
Our chosen door just happened to be staffed by a massive boxing fan. Five minutes of excitable talk later, we still hadn’t sat down. Quizzing us enviously about the fight, we were only too happy to regale him with our tales from ringside. When my friend pulled some Inoue stickers from his souvenir bag, gifting one to our new comrade, he held it aloft like a winning lottery ticket.
“For me? Woaaah, Sugoi!” (Amazing). “Next round free for you guys.”
The boxing chatter flowed freely into the small hours, reminiscing about Inoue’s greatest hits and other famous Japanese boxers. Eventually bidding fond farewells and still coming down from the high of the fight, we zigzagged through the still-bustling neon-lit streets as the morning sun began its rise, pondering the day’s events, the pound-for-pound rankings, and potential future match-ups.
By Sunday, there were already reports on social media that “Uncle Turki” wanted to host a mouth-watering 2027 megafight between Inoue and “Bam” Rodriguez. The seed was planted. Could we go again? Can a once in a lifetime trip be repeated? Absolutely. Forget the lost hours standing in queues and nearly losing my mind in the maze-like metro. The sights and sounds of Tokyo, the izakayas, the people, the Dome, the ringwalks, The Monster… it was worth every penny.
What an event. What a trip. A fight fan’s dream come true. –Matt O’Brien
