Japan, once the land of the samurai, is today one of the most advanced and emerging boxing powerhouses in the world. The success of Japanese boxing is no coincidence, but the result of a structured system that blends respect for tradition, meticulous organization, and a methodical development of talent.
The Land of the Rising Sun, with its deep-rooted history in martial arts, boasts a wide and passionate fan base thanks to a longstanding tradition of discipline and sacrifice. Boxing has found fertile ground in this environment, producing countless skilled warriors who have captured attention even beyond Japan’s borders. Efficiency, passion, cutting-edge facilities, top-level gyms, and an approach that masterfully combines technical and physical preparation—this is how Naoya “The Monster” Inoue was born, from a boxing standpoint. In our view, he is the undisputed pound-for-pound number one: a small fury who enchants with technical precision, speed, power, mentality, courage, and fighting spirit.
While Inoue stands at the pinnacle of the sport, two other fighters who stepped into the ring just a few hours ago at Tokyo’s Ariake Colosseum also deserve significant attention. They clashed in a major unification bout for the IBF and WBC bantamweight titles: WBC world champion Junto Nakatani and IBF titleholder Ryosuke Nishida.
Thanks to his overwhelming physicality, it was Nakatani who prevailed, making it clear why he is one of the sport’s rising global stars. The victory came when Nishida’s corner decided not to send him out for the seventh round, stopping the fight to avoid further punishment for their boxer. A great win for Nakatani, who showcased his full skillset, but also a commendable performance by Nishida—a highly technical fighter who was simply outmatched in terms of sheer physicality.
Nakatani entered the bout with a record of 30 wins, 23 by knockout, and no losses. Nishida came in with 10 wins, 2 by knockout, and was also undefeated. Both southpaws, both unbeaten, but with vastly different styles: Nishida is a more methodical boxer, relying on sharp technique and elite footwork, while Junto is a far more explosive puncher, aggressive and powerful—traits rarely seen in the division—yet still technically sound.
From the opening bell, Nakatani relentlessly hunted Nishida. Junto’s approach was aggressive, constantly seeking a quick knockout, especially with his right uppercut, which he launched over and over again. Nishida found himself engulfed by a storm. He managed to contain Nakatani to some extent but immediately realized he had to change tactics—another assault like that would have been too dangerous.
In the second round, it was Nishida who chose to push forward in an attempt to control the pace and manage the distance, but Junto handled it well, moving fluidly and unleashing his heavy, impactful shots.
From the third round on, however, Nishida began to find his rhythm. The southpaw from Nara appeared to shake off his early nerves and wisely chose to take away Nakatani’s space in order to reduce the impact of his punches. Despite a strong round, it was once again evident how much more damaging Junto’s blows were. Nishida’s ability to adjust his boxing was commendable—he managed distance well and timed his entries carefully, even landing a beautiful straight right flush to Nakatani’s face. Nonetheless, it was Nishida who ended up showing the damage, with his right eye starting to swell from the punches he’d absorbed.
During this phase, the fight was mostly contested at mid-to-close range, and it was Nishida pushing the pace, clearly trying to smother Nakatani’s explosiveness. It may have been a smart tactical decision, but it didn’t pay off much. Junto had little trouble shaking off his opponent and unleashing his shots, especially his left hook and right uppercut, both of which inflicted serious damage. By the end of the fifth round, the ringside doctor had to step in to check the condition of Nishida’s now-swollen right eye.
Extremely difficult to contain, Nakatani continued with his game plan, undeterred by Nishida’s attempts to adapt. At times, Junto became overconfident and lost balance after loading up too much on his punches, but Nishida was unable to capitalize—partly due to Nakatani’s quick reflexes, which allowed him to recover immediately. Even in the sixth round, Nishida managed to land several straight rights, but they had no visible or lasting effect. The difference in punch impact was just too great. Nakatani kept hammering away, further worsening the condition of Nishida’s eye.
Wisely, Ryosuke’s corner decided not to let their fighter continue, preventing more serious injury and sparing him from further punishment—thus awarding the victory to Junto.
With this win, Nakatani confirmed all the qualities that make him one of the most promising names on the Japanese and global boxing scene. And already, some are dreaming of a blockbuster showdown—one rich in skill and intensity—against Japan’s other superstar and international icon, Naoya Inoue.
A few final notes after the event.
Passionate crowds, packed arenas, state-of-the-art venues, and top-level fighters known for their discipline and indomitable spirit. If Italian boxing were to model itself after Japan’s system—or even the former Soviet bloc’s—rather than embarrassing itself by imitating “others,” perhaps it would gain more credibility and achieve better results.
As a final recommendation, don’t miss the fight that preceded the main event: the bout between Tenshin Nasukawa and Victor Santillan. Nasukawa is a brilliant technician, entertaining to watch and a joy to study from a technical standpoint—his only flaw being a lack of punching power.