Naoya Inoue vs. Alan Picasso Riyadh Press Conference, Weigh-in, Predictions & Betting Odds
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia ( December 26th, 2025)– Naoya Inoue and Alan Picasso faced off for the first time this week at Thursday’s Final Press Conference ahead of Saturday’s ‘The Ring 5: Night of the Samurai’ extravaganza in Riyadh.
The event is brought to fight fans on behalf of Riyadh Season by SELA, Matchroom Boxing and The Ring Magazine – broadcast live on DAZN.
Eddie Hearn arrived in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to host today’s presser at the Global Theatre at Riyadh’s spectacular Boulevard World.
‘The Ring V: Night of the Samurai’ will be staged this Saturday at Mohammed Abdu Arena by Emirates NBD in Boulevard City.
The fight card also features former Bantamweight World Champion Junto Nakatani, moving up to Super Bantamweight to make his debut in the division, in a clash with Sebastian Hernandez of Mexico, Kenshiro Teraji defending his status as world champion at Super Flyweight against Mexico’s Wilibaldo Garcia, in addition to Taiga Imanaga facing Dominica’s Eridson Garcia, and Reito Tsutsumi taking on Mexico’s Leobardo Quintana.
Speaking ahead of Friday’s ceremonial weigh-in – which will now take place at 3pm KSA Time – here’s what the fighters had to say at today’s Press Conference:
PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES:
Naoya Inoue
“This bout is going to be really important for my future – and how I fight it will be crucial to becoming pound-for-pound No. 1. So, I will give 100 per cent. I promise you that there is no chance that my belts are going back with him [Alan Picasso] to Mexico. This is a critical fight in the Super Bantamweight division, which you will see on Saturday. I am ready. All the Japanese fighters here have a high skillset and their mentality is very strong. That is proven and we will all fight good fights – and we plan to go home [to Japan] with good victories.”
Alan Picasso
“First, I would like to say thank you to [His Excellency] Turki Alalshikh, The Ring Magazine and the promoters. All the people who have made this possible for me, thank you. It is amazing to be here. Of course, I want to share my respect to Japan and to all of the Japanese fighters. However, on Saturday, it will not be the ‘Night of the Samurai’ – it is going to be an Azteca night. We represent Mexico and every single fighter who is here fighting for Mexico on this card, we are doing it for our people. We do it because of the blood running inside our bodies. I’ve been working and working so hard for this moment. I have run thousands of kilometres. I am so proud of the job I have done – and bringing those belts to Mexico would make my country so proud, so I will not let them down.”
Junto Nakatani
“First of all, I want to thank everyone for inviting me to such a big stage. I have been preparing 100 per cent, so you will see the best of me on December 27.”
Sebastian Hernandez
“Junto Nakatani is a really good fighter and I feel really excited for this fight. I have prepared my best, so I will give my absolute best in this fight too. Thank you for everything.”
Willibaldo Garcia
“People are wrong if they think I am going to lose. I am ready to win. I’m ready for war – I am going to win. I am going to finish him and I will deliver a KO.”
Kenshiro Teraji
“I really need to fight well and win what is such a huge match for me. I have to take the next big step [in my career], so I will make sure to win this World Title fight. I’ve always wanted to face [Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez] so I would like to perform well enough to get the chance to do so one day.”
Leobardo Quintana
“I’m ready – and I’ve been ready for the past week. I feel very strong and I am ready for victory.”
Reito Tsutsumi
“I know this is a great chance for me to impress on the big stage this time. That’s why I want to enjoy it on Saturday and have some fun as much as I can.”
Eridson Garcia
“Thank you to Matchroom and Turki Alalshikh for bringing me here. Of course, I am ready to upset everyone else and win the fight on Saturday.”
Taiga Imanaga
“I’m delighted to be here in Riyadh and I want to make sure that my presence is confirmed on such a big stage by trying my best to win, so keep on supporting me.”
Eddie Hearn, Matchroom Sport Chairman
“Welcome everybody here to Riyadh as we wrap up what has been an incredible year for Riyadh Season and The Ring Magazine. The growth of boxing here in Saudi Arabia and the vision of His Excellency Turki Alalshikh has been inspiring and breathtaking. We have had just about everything in the Kingdom – but we have never had the invasion of the Japanese. Until now. That new force of world boxing, which we see up here today. Of course, this is the ‘Night of the Samurai’. But I am hearing in the room today a strong atmosphere for Mr Picasso and for many of the opposition teams here today and it is very much, ‘Viva Mexico Cabrones!’ We know what the Mexican fighters are coming here to do: they come to fight. And on Saturday, there will be a war going on between Mexico and Japan, in what I think is one of the best cards we have seen here in Saudi Arabia. When you look over the recent times, and of course being shown on the Global Home of Boxing, DAZN, we have seen it all. Previously, we have had the Undisputed Heavyweight World Championship twice and earlier this year, the Light Heavyweight Undisputed Championship with Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev, not to mention Canelo Alvarez with the Undisputed Super Middleweight Titles. Plus, we have had for The Ring the two epic Eubank-Benn cards in front of over 70,000 fans. We’ve even closed down Times Square [in New York City]. We have seen it all. Despite having crowned so many Undisputed champions, there is only one reigning male Undisputed Champion and that is the great, Naoya Inoue, who is here as the only reigning male Undisputed champion and ready to defend his belts this weekend. This card, of course, is one of the strongest we have seen. There are so many great fighters. You will not want to blink. It’s incredibly exciting and it is a huge night for boxing.”
Rick Reeno, The Ring Magazine CEO
“I want to thank everyone for attending. Obviously, it is Christmas Day, so I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. I told everyone that the day would come eventually, when Eddie Hearn would be my host at a Ring press conference! Eddie always likes to save a couple of quid, so he was all on board to host today. Like Eddie said, this is an unbelievable card. We have some of the very best talent on display, both present and for the future. Everyone is talking already about a potential Japanese mega fight between [Naoya] Inoue and [Junto] Nakatani. But we have two dangerous operators here with [Alan] Picasso and Sebastian Hernandez. These guys have got a legion of fans in attendance, and they are coming to spoil the party. I think we are going to see a lot of fireworks to close out the year. The year is not done yet and we may even get an upset. Anything can happen. We will see the future of Japanese boxing too in the form of Reito and Taiga [Imanaga], showing off their skills. Both of them are taking on a step up in class. They’re not like in some of the other regions where opponents are carefully picked, these guys love to be fast-tracked in Japan. Over there it is sink or swim. Either a guy has got it or he doesn’t have it. The managers and the handlers there are not concerned with putting their guys in the dep end against tough opponents. They like to know sooner rather than later before they invest more money into a fighter – and I respect that because often we see too much careful matchmaking going on, so I think that is what has helped ascend Japanese boxing. They want to make good fights and they’re not scared to make good fights. That’s why over the past few years you have seen so many fight of the year contenders coming out of Japan. You also have Kenshiro [Teraji] who is looking to bounce back and open up an exciting new chapter in his career too. He’s immediately moving up in weight to face a serious operator and a World Champion in the form of Willibaldo Garcia, who has made it clear he is coming for war. I’m really looking forward to it – we are going to see plenty of great action at this event. In fact, I’m looking forward to it so much that I am spending it with my mate, Eddie Hearn.”
The countdown to a ‘Monster’ Fight Night is officially on as the fighters took to the ring today for an open workout in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, ahead of Saturday’s blockbuster ‘The Ring V: Night of the Samurai‘ at the Mohammed Abdo Arena by Emirates NBD.
Headlined by Naoya ‘Monster’ Inoue’s Undisputed Super Bantamweight defence against Alan Picasso, the event is brought to fight fans on behalf of Riyadh Season by SELA, Matchroom Boxing and The Ring Magazine – broadcast live on DAZN.
Inoue has his sights firmly set on becoming the Pound-for-Pound No.1 in the sport following the recent retirement of Terence Crawford.
And the Japanese mega star – a four division World Champion who has dominated over two as an Undisputed king having never lost in 31 professional bouts (27 KOs) – was in a typically cool mood as he stepped inside the ropes to the fanfare of a huge media contingent watching on.
His opponent Picasso (32-0-1, 17 KOs) had a lively, Mexican support at ringside to cheer him on as he plots to cause a major upset in the Kingdom this weekend.
Inoue also has the looming threat of fellow Japanese superstar Junto Nakatani looming over him, with the pair seemingly on collision course to meet in the future should they both come their respective fights this Saturday unscathed.
Southpaw Nakatani, who has an identical record to Inoue at 31-0 – albeit with 24 coming by way of stoppage – faces another Mexican in the form of undefeated knockout specialist, Sebastian Hernandez (20-0, 18 KOs).
Willibaldo Garcia (23-6-2, 13 KOs) puts his IBF World Super Flyweight Championship on the line when he faces the ‘Amazing Boy’ Kenshiro Teraji (25-2, 16 KOs).
In the lightweight division, the highly touted Taiga Imanaga (9-0, 5 KOs) battles Dominican Republic fighter Eridson Garcia (22-1, 14 KOs) and, at Super Featherweight, 23-year-old prospect Reito Tsutsumi (3-0, 2 KOs) takes on Leobardo Quintana (12-1. 5 KOs).
Monster Inoue Returns! Ring V Night of The Samurai DAZN Riyadh Preview
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Riyadh Season and promoter Turki Alalshikh, Matchroom Boxing and promoter Eddie Hearn, and The Ring Magazine, with support from SELA and Emirates NBD, and DAZN will present a televised five bout card of boxing entitled Ring Vo: Night of the Samurai, featuring six undefeated professional boxers with a combined record of 126-0-1, on Saturday night, December 27, 2025, at Mohammed Abdo Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
In the main event, Naoya Inoue, 31-0 with 27 knockouts, Yokohama, Japan, is favored to win by 12 round unanimous decision over David Picasso, 32-0-1 with 17 knockouts, Cuauhtemoc, Mexico, in defense of the IBF, WBC and WBO World Super Bantamweight titles. Naoya ‘The Monster’ Inoue is the overwhelming odds favorite over Alan David ‘El Rey’ Picasso Romero in their upcoming undisputed super-bantamweight title bout. Betting odds universally reflect Inoue’s status as the pound-for-pound king, with predictions leaning heavily toward an early stoppage victory for the champion. Inoue is an overwhelming favorite, with sportsbooks placing him as high as a -4000 favorite, while Picasso is a significant underdog at around +1400.
Experts and odds makers view this titular bout as one where Inoue’s elite skill set is expected to prevail. This reporter views Picasso as a far better technical boxer than the bookies and experts are giving him credit for. This could be Inoue’s most difficult bout to date, and a close thriller.
Inoue’s principal strength is a simple yet a powerful statement. Inoue is a four-weight world champion with an 87 percent knockout rate, experienced, methodical and dangerous at all times. His power, timing, and ring generalship are considered superior to the challenger’s.
Picasso’s Strengths are he is an undefeated, young, and athletic fighter with the virtue of having with reach and height advantage over Inoue. He employs a high-volume, pressing style which has made him a legitimate contender.
The consensus prediction is a TKO/KO victory for Naoya Inoue, likely in the mid-to-late rounds four to nine. While Picasso is expected to be a competitive live opponent in the house, the caliber of fighter disparity in championship level experience and power is seen as the deciding bet factor. Betting on the fight to finish under a specific total number of rounds is also a popular betting pick. This reporter’s prediction is a decision win for Inoue in a bout which will prove far closer than the experts would have believed. Knockdowns could affect scoring.
Mohammed Abdo Arena Riyadh Robert Brizel Undercard Predictions Night of the Samurai:
Junto Nakatani win in 12 rounds over Sebastian Hernandez Reyes, Super Bantamweights
Kenshiro Teraji Win in 12 rounds over Willibaldo Garcia Perez, Super Flyweights
International Boxing Federation World Super Flyweight title
Taiga Imanaga Win in 10 rounds over Eridson Garcia, Lightweights
Reito Tsutsumi Win in 6 rounds over Leobardo Quintana Sanchez, Super Featherweights
Opening bout on the card.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKssKylvkxA
COMMENTS
Robert Brizel – Head Boxing Correspondent