Early jab and body work build lead as Inoue controls rounds to unanimous decision
Naoya Inoue defeated Junto Nakatani by unanimous decision (116-112, 116-112, 115-113) over twelve rounds at the Tokyo Dome. He built an early lead behind the jab and body work, then managed the fight as Nakatani pushed in the middle rounds.
Inoue (33-0, 27 KOs) took charge from the opening bell. He utilized a stiff jab and immediate body work 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, struggling 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 varied his attack between the head and midsection. While Nakatani found a home for occasional left hands, he lacked the volume to peel rounds away from the champion during the first half of the contest.
The middle rounds saw Nakatani find his footing. He enjoyed his best success in the sixth, landing sharp counters that seemed to get Inoue’s attention. By the eighth and ninth, Nakatani was pressing forward with uppercuts, briefly forcing Inoue to retreat. It was a momentum shift that made the fight look like it might turn into a grueling battle of attrition.
However, Inoue showed why he’s 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 finishing touch for Inoue. He dictated the distance with his jab and landed heavy uppercuts that kept Nakatani moving backward. It was the most dominant round of the night and effectively sealed the result before the final bell.
The two traded shots in the twelfth, but Inoue remained composed. Inoue played it safe in the championship rounds, not taking unnecessary risks.
