Naoya Inoue and Junto Nakatani will step into the ring this weekend on home soil for one of-- if not the-- biggest fight in Japanese boxing history. The pair top a May 2nd DAZN pay-per-view card at the Tokyo Dome, as the former defends his world super bantamweight crown against his domestic rival. For Nakatani, victory will see him become the first man to defeat Inoue, and although that honor can bolster his status within the sport, it appears that Inoue could be fighting for something more due to his deeper record and list of accomplishments. That’s not to say that Nakatani will not get to that point as his career continues to develop, but with Inoue being a world champion since 2014, a year before Nakatani turned professional, his stunning twelve-year run has made him a modern superstar and a guaranteed first-time entrant into the Boxing Hall of Fame. But at 33, and perhaps on the last lap of his career, is the title of Asia’s best ever fighter still in his sights with Manny Pacquiao so far in front?
Asia has provided boxing with many outstanding boxers, such as Fighting Harada, Nonito Donaire, and Khaosai Galaxy, but in the modern era, Pacquiao and Inoue have raised the bar significantly higher. After turning professional at the backend of 2012, Inoue became a two-weight world champion a couple of years later as he made light work of his lower weight peers. Moving to bantamweight in 2018, Inoue destroyed Jamie McDonnell in the opening session, and the following year competed in a classic bout against Donaire when he outpointed the Filipino legend. Against Paul Butler in 2022, Inoue became undisputed at bantamweight, and he achieved the same feat in the division above with incredible wins over Stephen Fulton and Marlon Tapales.
Inoue still sits on top at super-bantamweight, but Nakatani is expected to represent his most difficult task to date. To unseat Pacquiao, perhaps an impossible mission, Inoue not only has to overtake Asia’s best ever fighter, but also one of boxing’s greatest ever competitors.
Pacquiao's credentials have long been examined, but his stunning run as world champion that saw him bulldoze his way through eight weight classes was a journey that took an unknown Filipino youngster to one of the most recognisable individuals in sport. Whereas Inoue has earned his stripes destroying lower weight fighters mainly in his homeland, Pacquiao was making legendary boxers look average on some of boxing's biggest ever shows. Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, and Miguel Cotto all failed to hear the final bell against Pacquiao as he became a box office phenomenon by taking out some of the sport’s most high-profile fighters.
After seemingly walking away from boxing in 2021 after a loss to Yordenis Ugas, Pacquiao returned last year and almost became a champion again after securing a draw against Mario Barrios in a bout many believed he won.
For Inoue to gain that type of profile, a move through the weight classes, maybe all the way to lightweight, would be one way to make the argument between him and Pacquiao closer. Even then, more major names would be required on Inoue’s ledger to match the level of opposition taken on by Pacquiao. Nakatani is a solid step in the right direction and with Bam Rodriquez also lurking around super-bantamweight, that would also enhance Inoue’s standing.
After that, trips to America to perform on boxing’s grandest stage could close the gap, but who else is there to fatten Inoue’s record? Emanuel Navarrete? Abdullah Mason? Gervonta Davis? If Inoue’s American switch could see him overcome these names in a dominant manner, then he could have his backers when debating Asia’s best fighter.
Inoue has time on his side, and it all starts with Nakatani on May 2nd.
