Inoue wins wide decision over Alan Picasso

It was a champion who controlled a night, didn’t erase it.

When control replaces violence

Inoue started sharply. Pinching stitch. Straight down the pipe. Quick feet, clean exits. The basics done properly. But he didn’t hunt. He was measuring. You could feel it early. He didn’t try to break Picasso. He tried to manage him.

Picasso came long, chest up, front foot lively. Not reckless. Just stubborn. He thrust with the jab, slipping just enough for Inoue to recover. Never owned series, but he kept asking questions. It matters at this level.

In the middle of the fight, the work rate flipped. Picasso leaned into the body, made it physical. He didn’t land big, but he stayed close. Forced claws. Made Inoue think twice before letting his hands go. That’s how rounds float silently.

Inoue still landed the better shots. Cleaner. Sharper. But the rhythm has changed. Less regret. More calculation.

This is not degradation. It’s kilometers that show.

Where the cracks actually were

Round seven told the story. Inoue rolled under a shot, came up clean, but his shoulder didn’t fire the same on the exit. Small delay. Picasso scratched the side of his head. Nothing dramatic. But it’s the kind of moment that clocks coaches.

The gas tank was not empty. It is management. Big difference.

Picasso’s chin stuck. It matters. Going twelve with Inoue without touching cloth changes how people approach you. But his shot selection was messy. Too many hooks thrown from bad angles. He chased volume instead of structure. That’s why he lost laps he could have stolen.

Inoue’s defense remained sound. Slips, short counters, no panic. But the eruption was not late. This is the first real sign of wear and tear we’ve seen in years.

The Nakatani question is now real

Junto Nakatani used to do his part. Not pretty, not clean, but he walked through it. Long frame. Uncomfortable rhythm. Southpaw lanes that don’t close easily.

This is the fight that tests Inoue’s timing, not his strength.

Nakatani doesn’t give you a clean read. He drags you into half-hearted and ugly exchanges. If Inoue’s legs slow even half a step, those angles become problems.

It’s not about fear. It’s about miles.

Inoue looked like a champion managing a season, not finishing a job. That’s good. But it is also a warning. Great fighters do not fall suddenly. They fade in small ways at first.

And this one showed some.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: Naoya Inoue vs David Picasso Undisputed IBF, WBC, WBA and WBO World Super Bantamweight Titles
December 27, 2025
Photo by Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing.