Junto Nakatani came up short of the undisputed super-bantamweight titles after a valiant 12-round effort against Naoya Inoue at the Tokyo Dome.
In a compelling all-Japanese affair in the nation’s capital, “The Monster” Inoue outscored “Big Bang” in a cagey, tactical opening few rounds.
But Nakatani would rally after trailing on the scorecards. Inoue began to show mild signs of distress, with damage visible under his left eye.
The challenger began to take control of the centre of the ring and started to unload the left hand, mixing in strong shots to the body as the champion was pushed onto the retreat.
An accidental clash of heads in the tenth stanza caused a cut on the left eyebrow of Nakatani, who, after a brief pause of the action, continued to put his foot on the gas, threatening with the left hand.
But Inoue would throttle the momentum of his compatriot when the cut opened further in the eleventh round and Nakatani was now on the retreat as Inoue looked to reassert control, scoring with a thunderous right hand and a crafty uppercut.
The final round saw Nakatani come forward in defiance, exchanging shots with the champion in the pocket. As time expired in front of 55,000 fans at the Tokyo Dome, the final sounding of the bell was soon followed with Inoue’s hand being raised.
Inoue maintained his slot at the top of the throne but “Big Bang” showed he belonged with the very best, putting it all on the line against the most feared force in the sport. The journey continues for “Big Bang”…
Nakatani x BOXRAW
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