Junto Nakatani Successful in His Debut at Junior Featherweight
Japan’s Junto Nakatani continues to cement his status as one of the very best fighters in boxing today. Now campaigning at junior featherweight, the multi-division world champion has his sights firmly set on a blockbuster showdown with fellow countryman and undisputed 122-pound king Naoya Inoue.
In his most recent outing, Nakatani (32-0, 24 KOs) made his debut at 122 pounds and earned a unanimous decision victory over Sebastian Hernandez (20-1, 18 KOs) at the Mohammed Abdo Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. While the scorecards (115-113, 115-113, 118-110) favored Nakatani, the bout was far from routine. He dominated the early rounds with his skill and control, but Hernandez surged in the second half, applying constant pressure and forcing Nakatani into uncomfortable exchanges.
Despite the late momentum swing, Nakatani showed composure and resilience, doing enough down the stretch to secure the win in what was arguably the toughest test of his professional career.
Following the fight, Nakatani made his intentions clear, naming Inoue as his primary target. A meeting between the two Japanese superstars—both operating at the peak of their powers—would be a historic clash and, if realized, could stand as the most compelling matchup in boxing in 2026.
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