Inoue chooses a quiet night
Inoue (31-0, 27 KOs) has nothing to prove to anyone, but here he is, fighting a man whose best win is still debated in Mexico. Picasso (32-0-1, 17 KOs) looks the part — tall featherweight frame, neat output, decent ring IQ — but there hasn’t been a moment in his career that suggests he can control Inoue’s rhythm or timing.
Inoue’s last three fights have told us a lot. He walked through Marlon Tapales, dealt with Luis Nery’s early chaos and then boxed out Akhmadaliev cleanly. The only minor cracks are age and motivation—he’s 32 and fighting a man who can’t push him physically or tactically. Picasso’s main value here is to see if Inoue can stay disciplined when the threat level drops.
If there’s risk, it’s the kind of veteran fighters they stumble over: pace and boredom. Fighters like Inoue, who thrive on danger, sometimes float when the game falls. Picasso’s jab and long range could steal early rounds if Inoue decides to coast.
What’s worse, a night like this builds nothing. It’s a salary and a tune-up disguised as prestige.
What the bottom map actually tells us
Junto Nakatani vs Sebastian Hernandez Reyes is the real battle. Nakatani jumps to 122 to see if he can eat shots before hunting Inoue next year. Hernandez? He’s that hammer that knocks guys down waiting for a slow fight.
A loss kills the Tokyo Dome dream fight that was already half promised. Nakatani’s team knows this. That pressure can stiffen a fighter’s stance, slow reaction and mess with punch selection. Reyes doesn’t throw a lot, but every punch counts.
Hayato Tsutsumi vs. Jazza Dickens: Japan pushes Tsutsumi to Dickens before he turns 30 and is left behind. Dickens is the classic roughhouse Brit – awkward, tough, likes to tear inside. Tsutsumi looks sharp on paper, but hasn’t eaten enough pro lore to deal with that mess.
Kenshiro Teraji vs Willibaldo Garcia looks like match amnesia. Teraji lost his belt in July after being drilled by right hands that he never adjusted to, but still gets a title shot against a division. Garcia’s record doesn’t scream danger, but he is active and scrappy. The question: can Teraji take 115 lb punches after clipping Sandoval all night? If he can’t, his flyweight elegance won’t matter here.
Taiga Imanaga vs. Armando Martinez and Reito Tsutsumi vs Quintana Sanchez is filler for the Riyadh crowd—polished prospects on safe tracks. They will look sharp, bank rounds, and will fade from memory by Sunday.
Behind the map: money and maneuver
Turki Alalshikh’s fingerprints are everywhere. The “Ring V” card isn’t about merit – it’s about keeping Riyadh relevant among heavyweight spectacles. DAZN gets content, Japan gets exposure, and the fighters get paid.
Still, Inoue walks a knife’s edge. His entire “Monster” rep rides on pretending that every opponent is life-or-death. This one does not. It’s risk disguised as routine—win comfortably, don’t risk anything big, but stay active enough for next year’s Tokyo Dome date.
What happens if it goes wrong
If Inoue slips, gets cut, or looks disinterested, the aura fades. The “Monster” label does not survive flat performances. It’s not the loss—it’s the image of control. Picasso may not beat him, but making Inoue seem human will change leverage in every future negotiation, especially with Nakatani’s camp waiting.
For Nakatani, a bad night kills Inoue–Nakatani before it starts. For Teraji, another knockout would permanently end the career whisper. For Riyadh, dull fights end the pretense of legitimacy in lower weight divisions.
It’s a sharp card on paper, but these fights aren’t showcases — they’re minefields for favorites trying to protect the next payday.
Event: The Ring V: Night of the Samurai
Date: December 27, 2025
Place: Mohammed Abdo Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Broadcast: Live on DAZN
