On Tuesday, September 3rd, at the Ariake Arena in Koto City, Tokyo, Japan, the undisputed super-bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue (28-0, 25 KOs) successfully defended his crown as he stopped TJ Doheny (26-5, 20 KOs) in the 7th round.
Inoue displayed patience as he stuck to his game plan and systematically broke down the challenger. TJ Doheny was a gamed opponent, but unfortunately, the accumulation of damage throughout the fight was too much for him to overcome.
The fight’s opening round was the typical feeling-out process, as Inoue landed the jab and a couple of solid rights to the body. For most of the bout, Inoue fought off the front foot and unleashed a balanced attack to the head and body of his opponent.
As the match continued, Inoue’s bodywork gradually took its toll on Doheny. At the start of the 7th, Inoue landed a hard left to the body, forcing Doheny to limp away and take a knee. After witnessing Doheny’s reaction, the referee immediately stopped the contest.
Once the match ended, a revelation was made about Inoue stepping back inside the ring in December to defend his undisputed crown. Once again, the match will take place in Japan, and it will most likely be against WBO/IBF top contender Sam Goodman or the WBA number one contender Murodjon Akhmadaliev.
After the December bout, Top Rank boss Bob Arum plans to have Inoue return to the States to defend his crown in Las Vegas. If Inoue is successful, will a fight between Naoya Inoue and Junto Nakatani take place later in 2025?
The undefeated Japanese boxer Junto Nakatani (28-0, 21 KOs) is a three-division champion and the reigning WBC world bantamweight titleholder. Nakatani made a brief appearance inside the squared circle in July 2024 when he faced Vincent Astrolabio.
With 38 seconds remaining in the 1st round, the southpaw Nakatani landed a hard left to the body, sending Astrolabio down to the canvas. With his body throbbing in pain, Vincent Astrolabio tried to get up, but unfortunately for him, he was counted out.
Fight fans always search for the next super-fight, and a Naoya Inoue vs Junto Nakatani clash fits the category. This potential bout would feature two highly skilled power punchers.
Currently, Inoue competes at 122 pounds, while Nakatani is campaigning as a 118-pounder. The two-time undisputed champion of four divisions, Naoya Inoue, seems prepared to stay at super-bantamweight for a significant amount of time.
Hopefully, Junto Nakatani will move up from 118 to 122 in 2025. If that happens, it will heighten the anticipation for one of the biggest fights in the Japanese market.
The potential Inoue vs. Nakatani clash will be huge in Japan, but it’s also a big fight globally. In a recent interview, boxing trainer Robert Garcia stated he would fly to Japan to see the mega fight.
Boxing fans and pundits are monitoring this situation, and they can see that this clash is on the horizon. Currently, Naoya Inoue is the biggest boxing star in Japan.
Junto Nakatani hasn’t yet reached Inoue’s level of stardom, but he’s gradually closing the gap. Continuing to win impressively will help Nakatani decrease the deficit. Still, Nakatani’s fastest route to his ultimate goal is to challenge Inoue in 2025 and attempt to knock the king off his throne.
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