Junto Nakatani came up short of the undisputed super-bantamweight titles after a valiant 12-round effort against Naoya Inoue at the Tokyo Dome. 

In a compelling all-Japanese affair in the nation’s capital, 'The Monster' Inoue outscored 'Big Bang' in a cagey, tactical opening few rounds. Nakatani was probing with his lead hand, waiting to unload with powerful counters, while his compatriot navigated the distance and scored with mostly single shots.

There was little action in the first five rounds with the respect from both for one another's tools on display, with the intricacies of the country's finest two boxers making for an absorbing chess match. 

But Nakatani would rally after trailing on the scorecards. Inoue began to show mild signs of distress, with damage visible under his left eye. A one-two down the pipe in the sixth round would inspire the challenger to build, letting his hands go in the pocket and employing his revered uppercut. 

The challenger began to take control of the centre of the ring and started to unload the left hand, mixing in strong shots to the body as the champion was pushed onto the retreat.

The ninth saw Inoue under heavy fire once again, but he would sporadically fire back with dangerous combinations that kept the contest on a knife edge, with the fight really catching fire down the stretch. 

'Big Bang' cracked Inoue with a lead hook in his best shot of the fight in the tenth stanza, but an accidental clash of heads quickly followed, causing a cut on the left eyebrow of Nakatani.  After a brief pause of the action, he continued to put his foot on the gas, threatening with the left hand.

But testament to his championship mettle and standing as an all-time great, Inoue would throttle the momentum of his compatriot by landing a sneaky right uppercut in the eleventh round and Nakatani was now on the retreat as he reasserted control.

The final round saw Nakatani come forward in defiance, exchanging shots with the champion in the pocket. No fear was shown while Inoue remained lethal and eager to put an exclamation mark on his standing.

Time would expire n front of 55,000 fans at the Tokyo Dome, the final sounding of the bell was met with an embrace from the two combatants as Nakatani congratulated the champion. All three judges ruled the bout in favour of Inoue.

Inoue maintained his slot at the top of the throne but “Big Bang” showed he belonged with the very best, putting it all on the line against the most feared force in the sport. It is 12 incredible rounds banked to his boxing education that will be invaluable going forward. The journey continues for Junto...

Nakatani x BOXRAW

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