Naoya Inoue defeats Junto Nakatani to retain titles

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Inoue (33-0, 27 KOs) took control from the opening bell. He used a stiff jab and immediate bodywork to disrupt Nakatani’s rhythm. Nakatani (32-1, 24 KOs), fighting as a challenger at this elite level, spent much of the early going in a reactive state and struggled to initiate offense against the speed and accuracy of the champion.

Through the first five frames, Inoue was the conductor of the pace. He split Nakatani’s guard with ease and switched his attack between the head and midsection. While Nakatani found a home for the occasional left hand, he lacked the volume to peel rounds off the champion during the first half of the contest.

In the middle rounds, Nakatani found his feet. He had his best success in the sixth, landing sharp counters that seemed to get Inoue’s attention. By the eighth and ninth, Nakatani pressed forward with uppercuts, briefly forcing Inoue to retreat. It was a momentum shift that made the fight look like it could turn into a grueling battle of attrition.

However, Inoue showed why he is a pound-for-pound star. He tightened his guard and focused back on the body to blunt Nakatani’s aggression. A clash of heads in the tenth resulted in a cut over Nakatani’s left eye, an injury that appeared to drain the challenger’s momentum just as he was making things interesting.

The eleventh round served as the finish for Inoue. He dictated the distance with his jab and landed heavy uppercuts that sent Nakatani backwards. It was the most dominant round of the night and effectively sealed the outcome before the final bell.

The two traded shots in the twelfth, but Inoue remained calm. Inoue played it safe in the championship rounds and didn’t take unnecessary risks.