{"id":337475,"date":"2025-12-27T01:59:08","date_gmt":"2025-12-27T01:59:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/337475\/"},"modified":"2025-12-27T01:59:08","modified_gmt":"2025-12-27T01:59:08","slug":"tensions-skyrocket-between-junto-nakatani-naoya-inoue-entering-ring-v","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/337475\/","title":{"rendered":"Tensions skyrocket between Junto Nakatani, Naoya Inoue entering Ring V"},"content":{"rendered":"

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia \u2014 Pound-for-pound star Junto Nakatani is a three-weight world champion<\/a> and one of the most exciting fighters in the sport. On Saturday, the hard-hitting Japanese southpaw will look to impress once again when he makes his junior featherweight debut against Sebastian Hernandez at Mohammed Abdo Arena in the co-main event of Ring V.<\/a>
In June, Nakatani (31-0, 24 KOs) unified a division for the first time when he stopped countryman and WBA bantamweight titleholder Ryosuke Nishida in six rounds<\/a>. In a brutal display of accurate power punching, \u201cBig Bang\u201d defended his WBC title and also added the vacant Ring championship to his growing collection.
\u201c[Nishida] was aggressive and came to fight,\u201d Nakatani told The Ring<\/a> via a translator. \u201cI expected that from him; it was predictable, so I was more aggressive in that fight, too.<\/p>\n

\u201cWinning The Ring Magazine championship was a big honor. That was a huge motivation for me because it proved that I was the best bantamweight in the world. I won that belt and now it\u2019s on to the next step at 122.\u201d<\/p>\n

This move north brings Nakatani one step closer to a mouthwatering undisputed title clash against compatriot and fellow pound-for-pound sensation Naoya Inoue.<\/a> Except for an appearance on the Mr. Verzace podcast, both men have been largely kept at a distance here in Riyadh.
Whenever Inoue and Nakatani are in the same room, there is no communication, no acknowledging each other\u2019s presence <\/a>and you could cut the atmosphere with a knife. With both fighters\u2019 crosshairs locked on alternate targets this weekend, neither man will discuss the potential superfight in depth.<\/p>\n

Even the mere mention of Inoue\u2019s sixth defense of the undisputed crown against Mexico\u2019s Alan Picasso was met with a steely response.<\/p>\n

\u201cRight now, I\u2019m only focused on Sebastian Hernandez,\u201d said Nakatani after shaking his head. \u201cI don\u2019t care about that fight.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nakatani, 27, spent less than two years in the bantamweight division and stopped all five of his opponents inside the distance. At 5-foot-8, he is extremely tall for the lower weight classes, so this recent step up has felt like a natural progression.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything is good in terms of weight, speed \u2026 everything has been great for me at 122,\u201d Nakatani said before acknowledging that the weight cut is still significant.<\/p>\n

\u201c[It\u2019s] not really [possible for me to do additional strength and conditioning work] because you gain weight naturally. \u201cIn training camp, we\u2019ve been doing the same things \u2014 hitting the bag, shadow boxing and sparring.\u201d<\/p>\n

And what about Nakatani\u2019s next assignment? Hernandez, who hails from Tijuana, has scored 18 knockouts in 20 straight wins but remains largely undistinguished. The 25-year-old brawler\u2019s best win on paper was a 10-round unanimous decision victory over Azat \u201cCrazy A\u201d Hovhannisyan in July.<\/p>\n

\u201c[Hernandez] has a lot of power and a lot of knockouts,\u201d said Nakatani. \u201cI\u2019m just focused on the game plan and will follow that game plan from the opening bell.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re the same height and the same weight, [so I won\u2019t have to box and move the whole fight]. What he does is predictable, so I\u2019ll be ready for whatever he brings.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nakatani is already one of the most accomplished fighters in boxing, and 2026 could bring a legacy-defining moment against Inoue. However, this amiable Japanese warrior has long-term goals beyond punch-swapping with \u201cThe Monster.”<\/p>\n

\u201cI will continue my journey, step by step,\u201d said Nakatani before putting the higher divisions on notice. \u201cRight now, it\u2019s [junior featherweight], then it will be 126 and 130. I am motivated to become the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"RIYADH, Saudi Arabia \u2014 Pound-for-pound star Junto Nakatani is a three-weight world champion and one of the most…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":337476,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[41],"tags":[2560,6842,6836,6841,6840,6834,6102,6837,6838,6839,6835,6588,6847,6846,6830,6828,6829,6844,6831,6827,6848,6843,101,6845,6826,6833,56,54,55,6832],"class_list":{"0":"post-337475","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-boxing","8":"tag-boxing","9":"tag-boxing-community","10":"tag-boxing-fights","11":"tag-boxing-history","12":"tag-boxing-interviews","13":"tag-boxing-magazine","14":"tag-boxing-news","15":"tag-boxing-photos","16":"tag-boxing-rankings","17":"tag-boxing-schedule","18":"tag-boxing-videos","19":"tag-boxing-results","20":"tag-disqualification","21":"tag-draw","22":"tag-fight","23":"tag-fighter","24":"tag-fighter-news","25":"tag-knockout","26":"tag-latest-boxing-matches","27":"tag-ring","28":"tag-ring-magazine","29":"tag-split-decision","30":"tag-sports","31":"tag-technical-knockout","32":"tag-the-ring","33":"tag-top-fighters","34":"tag-uk","35":"tag-united-kingdom","36":"tag-unitedkingdom","37":"tag-upcoming-boxing-matches"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/337475","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=337475"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/337475\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/337476"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=337475"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=337475"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=337475"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}