Naoya Inoue Outclasses Alan Picasso; Nakatani Bout Hopes Rise!
Reigning undisputed junior featherweight champion Naoya “Monster” Inoue continues to prove he is a generational talent and a surefire future Hall of Famer. All indications suggest that his next appearance in the ring will come against fellow Japanese star and three-division champion Junto Nakatani.
Inoue (32-0, 27 KOs) was firmly in control in his most recent outing. He scored a wide unanimous decision victory over Alan Picasso (32-1-1, 17 KOs) at in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The scorecards—119-109, 120-108, and 117-111—reflected Inoue’s dominance. While Picasso remained competitive and game throughout the contest, he was ultimately outmatched by Inoue’s elite skill set, precision combinations, and blistering speed.
The expectation now is that Inoue’s next defense will come against Nakatani. Nakatani appeared on the same card and secured a hard-fought unanimous decision win over Sebastian Hernandez. If the matchup is finalized, Inoue and Nakatani are set to collide at the Tokyo Dome in Japan. Their prospective bout is widely projected to be one of the most anticipated fights of 2026.
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