The long-awaited superfight from Japan between Naoya Inoue and Junto Nakatani is closing in on a spot on the 2026 boxing calendar after spending more than a year on parallel tracks.
BoxingScene has confirmed that the bout is targeted for May 2 at the Tokyo Dome. Inoue is expected to defend his undisputed super bantamweight championship, while Nakatani will attempt to become a four-division titleholder, a distinction shared by only a small group in Japanese boxing history. Industry sources also indicate that the card could include several championship matches.
Confusion surrounding the date has followed the fight for months. Several outlets reported a May 5 event after WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman referred to Cinco de Mayo weekend in public comments. That interpretation ignored the Dome’s existing schedule. The venue was booked from May 3 to May 6 for a Nippon Professional Baseball series between the Yomiuri Giants and the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, with May 3 reserved for the opening game of Japan’s X League soccer season. May 2 remains the workable option.
The bout itself has been discussed publicly since both fighters shared the stage at the 2024 Japanese Boxing Commission Awards. Inoue used the moment to call for a domestic showdown that has already become a topic around the sport. Nakatani accepted on the spot.
Inoue followed that exchange with one of the busiest championship years of the modern era. He made four successful title defenses in 2025, then added two more victories, including wide decision victories over former unified champion Murodjon Akhmadaliev and undefeated contender Alan David Picasso.
Nakatani’s path moved just as deliberately. He unified the WBC and IBF bantamweight titles with a stoppage victory over Ryosuke Nishida, ending his run undefeated at 118 pounds and with knockout victories in each appearance. Soon after, he announced his move to super bantamweight, removing the final structural barrier to a meeting with Inoue.
His debut at 122 pounds came on the same Riyadh Season card headlined by Inoue. Nakatani scored a unanimous decision over Sebastian Hernandez, though the match drew attention. One wide scorecard remains under review, and Nakatani finished the fight with his right eye swollen shut.
Even so, both fighters left the event undefeated and aligned on the same path.
The pieces are finally in place for the battle that can be made.
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Last updated on 01/07/2026
