02/05/2026
While Naoya Inoue won tonight, it’s understandable why many fans still feel unsatisfied with how the fight played out.
Early in the fight, Junto Nakatani showed that he could compete at a very high level. He wasn’t being clearly outboxed round by round, he held his own and even edged several exchanges with sharper combinations. There were also moments when Nakatani visibly stunned Inoue, proving he could match both his speed and power.
However, the turning point came with the accidental head clash that caused a cut. From that moment on, the dynamic of the fight shifted. Inoue, showing his experience, began targeting the injury. That’s a smart and legal tactic in boxing but it also raises the question: was he winning purely based on skill, or did the cut significantly influence the outcome?
It’s fair to argue that Inoue didn’t clearly outbox Nakatani in a purely technical sense. Instead, he capitalized on the damage and adjusted his strategy around it. Meanwhile, Nakatani remained dangerous with his combinations, suggesting that without the cut, the fight might have played out very differently.
Yes, Inoue secured a unanimous decision but the result doesn’t completely settle the debate. If the cut hadn’t happened, there’s a strong case that we could be talking about a different outcome.
One thing many can agree on: Nakatani looked like the more dangerous puncher throughout the fight.
