Undisputed super bantamweight world champion Naoya Inoue (29-0, 26 KOs) and WBC bantamweight champion Junto Nakatani (30-0, 23 KOs) came face to face at the Japanese Boxing Awards ceremony — and the meeting sparked a potential mega-fight.
During the event, Inoue publicly called out Nakatani, proposing a bout at the iconic Tokyo Dome in 2026.
– Nakatani, let’s take Japanese boxing to the next level at the Tokyo Dome next year!, Inoue said.
– Let’s do it!, Nakatani responded.
The Tokyo Dome is a historic venue in boxing — most notably, it hosted the night in 1990 when Mike Tyson suffered his first career defeat, famously knocked out by James “Buster” Douglas in the 10th round in one of boxing’s greatest upsets.
Inoue last defended his titles in January, scoring a fourth-round KO over Ye Joon Kim. His next fight is scheduled for May 4 against Ramon Cárdenas, after which he could face Murodjon Akhmadaliev.
Nakatani, meanwhile, last fought on February 24, stopping David Cuellar in the third round.