Naoya Inoue vs. Junto Nakatani: When It Starts and Ring Walk Times
All eyes turn to a high-stakes all-Japanese showdown as Naoya Inoue and Junto Nakatani meet with the undisputed super-bantamweight championship on the line. This matchup carries more than just titles-it's a clash between two unbeaten champions with national pride and pound-for-pound relevance in play. One has already built a resume that places him among boxing's elite, while the other continues to surge with momentum.
Naoya Inoue, the undisputed super bantamweight champion holding the WBC, WBO, WBA, IBF, and The Ring titles, went the distance in back-to-back bouts against David Picasso and Murodjon Akhmadaliev, controlling the pace and stacking rounds. In between, he still found finishes, stopping Ramon Cardenas, Ye Joon Kim, and TJ Doheny as he continues to dominate his opponents.
Junto Nakatani has taken a more aggressive route. Outside of a close decision over Sebastian Hernandez Reyes-a fight many believed could have swung the other way-he hasn't needed the judges. He stopped Ryosuke Nishida, David Cuellar Contreras, Tasana Salapat, and Vincent Astrolabio, leaning on pressure and power to get opponents out early. It sets up a clear dynamic heading into this massive matchup.
Naoya Inoue vs. Junto Nakatani Fight Date, Start Time
Naoya Inoue vs. Junto Nakatani will take place on Saturday, May 2.
- Date: Saturday, May 2
- Start Time: 3:00 a.m. ET / 12:00 a.m. PT / 8:00 a.m. BST
Ring Walk Times
- Main Event Ring Walks (approx): 8:00 a.m. ET / 5:00 a.m. PT / 1:00 p.m. BST
Ring walk timing may vary depending on how long the earlier fights last.
Fight Card
- Naoya Inoue 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
How to Watch Naoya Inoue vs. Junto Nakatani
Naoya Inoue vs. Junto Nakatani and the entire fight card will stream live on DAZN worldwide with a subscription.
Copyright 2026 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
This story was originally published May 1, 2026 at 5:41 AM.