This Saturday, the Mohammed Abdo Arena in Riyadh will host a fascinating boxing event titled “The Ring V: Night of the Samurai.” The meaning behind the name is easy to grasp: every bout on the card will feature a high-profile Japanese fighter. The two most anticipated stars are naturally Naoya Inoue and Junto Nakatani, who are expected to face each other in a legendary all-Japanese showdown in 2026. Let’s take a closer look at the three most eagerly awaited fights on the card, which will be broadcast live on DAZN in PPV.
Naoya Inoue vs Alan David Picasso – WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO super bantamweight world titles
“The Monster” needs no introduction. A four-division world champion, unbeaten in 31 professional bouts with an impressive 27 knockouts, the Japanese superstar rightfully sits at the top of every pound-for-pound ranking compiled by industry experts. Following the retirement of Terence Crawford, it is now almost unanimously agreed that he and Oleksandr Usyk deserve the top two spots, even if opinions differ on who should be ranked number one.
His opponent this Saturday, Mexico’s Alan David Picasso, does not appear to possess the tools to trouble him. While Picasso is also unbeaten and has gained solid experience with 33 professional fights under his belt, he lacks the explosive power needed to turn the tables with a single decisive punch. Nor does he have the defensive elusiveness required to successfully box “The Monster” from long range. Picasso is competent in all areas but excels in none, and in our view he looks very much like a sacrificial victim.
Junto Nakatani vs Sebastian Hernandez Reyes
Although he has not yet reached the superstar status of his compatriot Inoue, Nakatani has nonetheless built an outstanding résumé. At present, the editors of The Ring magazine rank him seventh in their pound-for-pound list (soon to become sixth following Crawford’s removal). A southpaw with long arms, tremendous power, and the ability to land precise shots to both head and body, the Japanese fighter is a true fighting machine.
Here too, we do not expect any surprises. Hernandez Reyes is a hard puncher, as shown by his 18 knockouts in 20 wins, but his defense is far too porous and his attacks far too predictable to give him realistic chances against a great champion like Nakatani. The Mexican may put up a fight and entertain the crowd, but we believe he will eventually be broken down and stopped by his formidable opponent.
Willibaldo Garcia Perez vs Kenshiro Teraji – IBF junior flyweight world title
Bookmakers have Teraji as a clear favorite in this contest, which is understandable when comparing the two fighters’ records. However, it should be noted that the Japanese boxer has already gone through a very high number of brutal, toe-to-toe battles in his career, which may have begun to take a toll on his body. He is also moving up in weight following an unexpected defeat, meaning the outcome of this fight may not be as predictable as it seems.
Garcia Perez endured a nightmare start to his professional career, losing four of his first six bouts, but he managed to turn things around and capture the world title in May of this year by defeating compatriot Rene Calixto via split decision, after their first encounter had ended in a draw. Teraji is undoubtedly the more technically refined fighter, but Garcia could prove to be the fresher and more physically intact man and make his strength count. Given the styles of the two boxers, one thing we feel confident predicting is a great show.