Naoya Inoue vs. Junto Nakatani Set for Saturday: The Biggest Fight of 2026 Has Arrived
Get your alarms set, because the most anticipated fight of 2026 finally arrives this Saturday. Naoya Inoue puts his undisputed junior featherweight world championship on the line against fellow Japanese star Junto Nakatani at the Tokyo Dome on May 2, with both men coming in undefeated and at the absolute peak of their powers.
This is the kind of matchup boxing fans dream about. Two of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the entire sport, both Japanese, both undefeated, both elite finishers, meeting at one of the most iconic venues in combat sports. The Tokyo Dome will hold over 50,000 fans for what is being billed as the most important boxing event in Japanese history.
Inoue, the undisputed champion at 122 pounds, is widely considered the best fighter on the planet. “The Monster” holds knockout victories over former champions like Stephen Fulton, Marlon Tapales, and Luis Nery, and his combination of speed, ring IQ, and devastating power has him at or near the top of every credible pound-for-pound list.
Nakatani is no afterthought, however. The 6-foot-tall Japanese star has captured world titles in three separate weight classes and has piled up a string of stunning knockouts on his way to this superfight. He is moving up in weight to face Inoue, but he is widely viewed as the most dangerous opponent of Inoue’s career.
Both fighters successfully cleared the WBC’s 14-day pre-weigh-in last Friday, with Inoue tipping the scales at 127.64 pounds and Nakatani at 127.53. Both will have to make 122 pounds for the official weigh-in.
The official weigh-in goes Friday with the fight Saturday morning Eastern Time. American fans will need ESPN+ to watch live. Set the alarm. This is the one.
Naoya Inoue is the undisputed junior featherweight world champion who holds knockout wins over Stephen Fulton, Marlon Tapales, and Luis Nery and is widely considered the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world. Junto Nakatani is an undefeated Japanese knockout artist and three-division world champion who has finished many of the top fighters at flyweight, junior bantamweight, and bantamweight.
