For boxing fans left with a sour taste after Anthony Joshua's frustrating six-round 'fight' with YouTuber Jake Paul, a perfect palate cleanser arrives this weekend. On 27 December in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, two of the sport's genuine elite, Japan's Naoya Inoue and Junto Nakatani, will grace the ring on the same card, promising a masterclass in the noble art.
The Main Event: Inoue's Latest Title Defence
In the headline bout, the pound-for-pound superstar Naoya "The Monster" Inoue defends his undisputed super-bantamweight world titles. His opponent is the unbeaten Alan "David" Picasso. According to The Independent's sport rankings, Inoue is considered the second-best boxer on the planet, a four-weight champion and two-weight undisputed king. While Picasso (32-0, 17 KOs) lacks his foe's profile, he represents a respectable, come-forward challenge—a stark contrast to the evasive tactics seen last week.
Nakatani's Dangerous Debut at New Weight
In the co-main event, the highly-rated Junto Nakatani makes his debut at super-bantamweight. The three-weight world champion, ranked eighth globally, vacated his unified bantamweight belts to move up. He faces the hard-hitting Sebastian Hernandez Reyes (20-0, 18 KOs), who boasts a formidable 90% knockout rate. This is a perilous first step in a new division for Nakatani, with a coveted future showdown with Inoue potentially on the line.
The Dream Fight and the Inevitable Risk
The long-term goal for the organisers and fans is a blockbuster all-Japanese clash between Inoue and Nakatani in 2026. At 32 and 27 respectively, it pits experience against youth in a mouthwatering stylistic match-up. However, boxing's chaotic nature means such plans are notoriously fragile. The "if A beats X and B beats Y" strategy has failed recently, notably when Deontay Wilder lost to Joseph Parker on the same night Joshua won in 2023, scuppering their long-awaited fight.
Inoue, though formidable, has shown vulnerability, being dropped in two of his last five fights. Nakatani, meanwhile, faces an unknown at a new weight against a ferocious puncher. A slip-up by either man this Saturday could derail the dream match instantly.
Furthermore, the event's location in Saudi Arabia continues to draw criticism, with accusations of sportswashing aimed at distracting from the nation's human rights record. Yet, for purists, the chance to see two artists like Inoue and Nakatani perform on the same night offers a compelling counter-argument to the spectacle-driven commerce of Joshua vs Paul. This is boxing for those who love the sport's core tenets: skill, courage, and honour.
