Japanese boxer Naoya Inoue (L) and Junto Nakatani pose for photographs following a weigh-in ahead of their May 2 boxing match in Tokyo on May 1, 2026. (Photo by Yuichi YAMAZAKI / AFP via Getty Images)
AFP via Getty Images
David Benavidez isn't the only Monster in action on Cinco de Mayo weekend. Pound-for-pound contender and undisputed junior featherweight champion Naoya Inoue will put his crown on the line in what many believe could be his toughest fight since Luis Nery in May 2024. Junto Nakatani, an undefeated three-division champion, is stepping up to challenge his countryman in a huge fight for Japan and the sport globally. Here are the details on the fight and card.
American boxing fans will need to get started pretty early in the morning if you're planning on catching Inoue-Nakatani. The main card is expected to start at 3 a.m. ET.
The broadcast streams worldwide on DAZN PPV from Tokyo Dome, with main event ringwalks expected around 8 a.m. ET. UK pricing is £24.99 for the PPV, or £22.99 per month for a DAZN Ultimate subscription that includes the event. Japanese viewers can watch free-to-air on Lemino.
Just as the David Benavidez vs. Gilberto Ramirez card is packed with top-notch Mexican talent, the Inoue-Nakatani card will serve as a platform for multiple Japanese fighters.
Here is the full lineup for Saturday morning:
Inoue has earned the "Monster" moniker. The 32-0 boxing superstar has 27 KOs and his fighting style is among the most crowd-pleasing in the sport.
The 32-year-old stands 5-foot-5 with a 67.5-inch reach, and he's the first fighter in the four-belt era to win undisputed titles at both bantamweight and super bantamweight. His 84% knockout rate and ESPN's No. 2 pound-for-pound ranking tell you everything about why he walks in as a -400 favorite.
Nakatani is a legitimate challenge for Inoue. He’s younger, undefeated and he has been preparing, on some level, for this challenge for several years.
The 26-year-old southpaw is a three-division world champion already, having held WBO flyweight, WBO super flyweight, and WBC bantamweight titles, and he brings a 2-inch height advantage and 1-inch reach edge into the ring. He earned this shot by defeating Sebastian Hernandez via unanimous decision on the same December 2025 card where Inoue dispatched David Picasso.
You could make the argument this is the biggest fight in Japanese boxing history. Inoue and Nakatani are both at the top of their games. Inoue is currently the No. 2 pound-for-pound fighter in the world according to ESPN, and a win only strengthens his case. Likewise, if Nakatani can pull the upset, he will bum rush the P4P rankings.
The 55,000-seat Tokyo Dome sold out for this one, which underscores the magnitude. Two undefeated 32-0 records walk in, and only one walks out.
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