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Inoue Crowned IBF Fighter of Year After Nakata Bout
14 May
Summary
- Naoya Inoue named IBF Male Fighter of the Year for 2026.
- He successfully defended his super-bantamweight titles against Junto Nakata.
- The fight was hailed as the biggest in Japanese boxing history.
Naoya Inoue has been honored as the IBF Male Fighter of the Year for 2026, receiving the 'Judge Joe Walcott Award.' This recognition comes after a series of impressive victories throughout 2025 and early 2026, including a hard-fought decision win against Junto Nakata.
The bout against Nakata, held on May 2nd, 2026, at the Tokyo Dome, was a landmark event, drawing approximately 55,000 spectators. Hailed as the biggest fight in Japanese boxing history, it saw Inoue successfully defend his WBA, WBC, IBF, and WBO super-bantamweight championships.
Inoue's performance demonstrated his resilience, overcoming Nakata's intense pressure in the later rounds to secure a unanimous decision victory with scorecards of 116-112, 116-112, and 115-113. He previously defeated Kim Ye-jun in January 2025 via KO.
With an undefeated record of 33 wins (27 KOs), Inoue continues to dominate the super-bantamweight division. Speculation is mounting regarding a potential future match against Jesse Rodriguez, which could once again draw global attention to Japanese boxing.
