Junto Nakatani is looking forward to the future as he continues to push for Naoya Inoue’s crown

Junto Nakatani vs Naoya Inoue is looking almost inevitable

Junto Nakatani (31-0, 24 KO’s) is set to make his ring return on December 27 in Riyadh, as he takes on Sebastian Hernandez (20-0, 18 KO’s) in a night that is set to showcase the best Japanese boxing has to offer. 

Fellow Japanese phenom Naoya Inoue (31-0, 27 KO’s) is set to headline the card - taking on David Picasso (32-0-1, 17 KO’s) -  and should both men win, the night is likely to set up a mammoth clash between the two undefeated superstars. 

Both men have similar fighting styles, renowned for their speed, aggression, and devastating power that is rare amongst the lower weight classes. 

Inoue has long been regarded as the best amongst the little men, and Nakatani is keen to change this perception. 

Speaking to The Ring, the 27-year-old revealed that he feels a fight with Inoue is the only way he can prove he’s number one. 

“First I have to prove I’m the best super bantamweight, and to do that, I have to beat the guy that everybody says is the best and that’s Naoya Inoue…I realize that it’s a fight that everybody wants to see, and that’s a source of motivation for me. I’ve been building one fight at a time and the Hernandez fight that’s coming up is the next step within that flow of the Inoue fight.

Nakatani went on to reveal that while he has long been a fan of ‘The Monster’, a victory over Inoue has always been part of his plans. 

“I’ve watched a lot of Inoue’s fights and they provided me with a lot of stimulation. Now that we’re in the same weight class I’ve always viewed him as a destination, that’s the motivation.”