Naoya Inoue vs Junto Nakatani: Match card, start time & where to watch
Japan’s two best pound-for-pound fighters collide at the Tokyo Dome this Saturday.
Naoya Inoue puts his undisputed super bantamweight throne on the line against fellow Japanese star Junto Nakatani at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan, on Saturday, May 2, 2026.
Billed as potentially the biggest fight in Japanese boxing history, this all-Japanese title clash is being broadcast internationally on DAZN PPV and free-to-air on Lemino in Japan, with the main card getting underway at 3:00 AM ET.
Inoue (32-0, 27 KOs), nicknamed “The Monster,” is widely regarded as the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet.
A four-division world champion, he unified all four major super bantamweight titles and has defended the undisputed crown multiple times since claiming it in 2023.
He last fought in December 2025, stopping Alan Picasso by unanimous decision on the Riyadh Season card. Nakatani (32-0, 24 KOs) is five years younger than Inoue and enters as one of boxing’s most exciting unbeaten fighters.
A three-division world champion who previously held the WBO flyweight and light flyweight titles, the southpaw made his super bantamweight debut on the same December 2025 card in Riyadh, outpointing Sebastian Hernandez to earn this shot.
He carries a 75% knockout rate and presents a physical test for Inoue with a two-inch height advantage and superior reach.
Both men enter at 32-0. Both are Japanese. The winner likely claims the undisputed #1 pound-for-pound ranking. It is as clean a superfight as boxing can produce.
The co-feature is also a title bout, as Naoya’s brother Takuma Inoue (21-2, 5 KOs) defends his WBC bantamweight title against legendary three-division champion Kazuto Ioka (32-4-1, 17 KOs) in a mouthwatering domestic clash of its own.
Naoya Inoue vs Junto Nakatani: Full match card
- Naoya Inoue (c) vs Junto Nakatani; Super-bantamweight, for the undisputed title
- Takuma Inoue vs Kazuto Ioka; Bantamweight, for the WBC title
- Toshiki Shimomachi vs Reiya Abe; Featherweight
- Sora Tanaka vs Jin Sasaki; Welterweight
- Kosuke Tomioka vs Shogo Tanaka; Flyweight
- Deok No Yun vs Yuito Moriwaki; Super middleweight
- Yoshiki Takei vs Dekang Wang; Super bantamweight
Naoya Inoue vs Junto Nakatani: Timings and Details
| Country / Region | Timings | Main Event (Expected) | Telecast |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States (ET) | 3:00 AM ET | 8:00 AM ET | DAZN PPV |
| United States (CT) | 2:00 AM CT | 7:00 AM CT | DAZN PPV |
| United States (PT) | 12:00 AM PT | 5:00 AM PT | DAZN PPV |
| Canada (ET) | 3:00 AM ET | 8:00 AM ET | DAZN PPV |
| United Kingdom (BST) | 8:00 AM BST | 12:00 PM BST | DAZN PPV |
| India (IST) | 12:30 PM IST | 5:30 PM IST | DAZN PPV |
| Japan (JST) | 4:00PM JST | 9:00 PM JST | Lemino (Free-to-air) / PPV |
| Australia (AEST) | 5:00 PM AEST | 10:00 PM AEST | DAZN PPV |
| New Zealand (NZST) | 7:00 PM NZST | 12:00 PM NZST | DAZN PPV |
| Germany (CEST) | 9:00 AM CEST | 12:00 PM CEST | DAZN PPV |
What time does Naoya Inoue vs Junto Nakatani start?
The main card begins at 3:30 AM ET on Saturday, May 2, 2026, with timings varying by region as listed above.
When are Naoya Inoue vs Junto Nakatani ring walks expected?
The main event ring walks for Naoya Inoue and Junto Nakatani are expected at around 7:00 AM ET / 12:00 PM BST / 4:30 PM IST on May 2, 2026.
Where can I watch Naoya Inoue vs. Junto Nakatani live?
The highly anticipated fight will be streamed live worldwide on DAZN PPV. In Japan, it will be broadcast free-to-air on Lemino, with PPV options also available in Japanese territories.
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