News
At the IG Arena in Nagoya, Naoya Inoue defended his undisputed super bantamweight crown with a unanimous decision (all three judges in agreement) victory over Murodjon Akhmadaliev. The official scorecards read 117-111, 118-110, 118-110. Throughout the bout, Inoue dictated the pace with speed and precision, never allowing Akhmadaliev to seize momentum. While Akhmadaliev showed resilience late, the contest was clearly dominated by Inoue.
This marks Inoue’s first decision win since 2019, ending his streak of consecutive knockout victories.
Source: Bad Left Hook
Background | Naoya Inoue, Murodjon Akhmadaliev, and the Road to This Clash
Naoya Inoue — The “Monster” Recognized Worldwide
- Nationality: Japan
- Division: Super Bantamweight (former Undisputed Bantamweight Champion)
- Record (pre-fight): 30-0 (27 KOs)
- Style: A rare combination of devastating offense and sharp defense, finishing most opponents by knockout.
- Achievements: Defeated Fulton and Tapales to unify all four belts at super bantamweight. Consistently ranked in the top tier of the global Pound-for-Pound lists.
Murodjon Akhmadaliev — Uzbekistan’s Southpaw Star
- Nationality: Uzbekistan
- Division: Super Bantamweight (former WBA & IBF Unified Champion)
- Record (pre-fight): 15-1 (9 KOs)
- Style: Olympic bronze medalist in London 2012. Known for high volume punching and a sharp left hand, which carried him to world champion status.
The Pound-for-Pound (P4P) Landscape
Boxing’s Pound-for-Pound rankings aim to measure greatness across weight classes:
- Terence Crawford (USA): Undefeated across multiple divisions, most recently dethroning Canelo Alvarez. Considered the frontrunner for current P4P #1.
- Oleksandr Usyk (Ukraine): Unified all four cruiserweight titles before conquering the heavyweight division. His success in higher weight classes cements him near the top.
- Naoya Inoue (Japan): With his perfect record and staggering KO ratio, Inoue is firmly in the global top three alongside Crawford and Usyk.
Global Reactions
Crawford p4p #1..
What a fight. Those 12 rounds might have been better than any knockout in Inoue’s career. The Inoue we’re used to, I can say maybe someone like Ruben Olivarez, maybe someone like Carlos Zarate chins him. But THIS Inoue? This version? How do you even fight that nonsense. And this ISN’T his go to plan, it’s something he keeps in his back pocket? Fuckin hell.
Between Crawford schooling Canelo and Inoue schooling Akhmadaliev that’s two fights to study for a long time. This is why we want the best to fight the best, the elite to fight the elite, it brings out the very best and one rises while the other shrinks. Boxing’s not dead, no. What a time to be alive.
I always enjoy the respectful support the vanquished foe receives from the Japanese fans as they leave the arena.
Bob Arum sucking Inoue’s youth out of his body as we’re speaking
Seeing Crawford and Inoue putting up masterclasses on back to back days is a blessing
Bob arum is pretty lucid for 200 years old.
Yeah maybe MJ gave the judges some robes too cause that was a complete shutout
Did I hear that right? Inoue intentionally wanted to make it a 12 rd decision?
Yeah I told him to milk it so I can hit my parlay, dude’s a G
Crawford/Inoue/Usyk still in the top 3 confirmed. How you rank it, depends on you I guess. Each one of them deserve the #1
anyone could be number 1 and i won’t even be mad. You can slide in Bivol if we’re making a top 4
For me uysk, Crawford then inoue
Wow did Eddie Hearn even show up to the fight 🤔
Mannnn put your arms down, MJ
Felt like Inoue wanted to prove something today and just technically outclass MJ lol
Yeah definitely, could search the kill but he just wanted to show his skill and his defense after his previous downs
Thats a satisfying win given how MJs fans have been harassing Inoue for years now
Felt the judges were generous with MJ
Inoue is like nice robe bro, I won’t knock you out.
I scored it 120 for Inoue. That punch at the end for Akhmadaliev wasn’t enough to win him that round.
I cannot wait for the Nakatani fight
He said My outboxing’s pretty good, right?
Inoue put on a speed and technique clinic. This style will hold well when he goes to 126
MJ gave inoue a robe, Inoue gave him a beating
Nothing for the highlight reel. But its good to see Inoue pick-up his defence. Looked sharp as ever early rounds and looked to only get faster by the 9th. What a fight.
There’s plenty for Inoue’s defensive work highlight reel. He had some insane exchanges where he was able to land his own shots while slipping MJ’s by mere inches
both Crawford and Inoue have insane stamina moving like that 12 rounds.
MJ just doing Clottey with guard up, get income, go home. Respect.
Not sure how you even find that many rounds for MJ tbh. Right call at least.
Maybe you give him the 5th? But that’s purely to be generous
Inoue is gonna finally move up?
Naw two more fights at this weight, Picasso and then Nakatani. Inoue v Nakatani will be a banger
Looks like MJ was just happy to get a participation trophy
We hold Inoue to such a high standard that him getting clipped to no real effect at the very end of a dominating performance is disappointing lmfao
Only Nakatani has a chance to beat Inoue currently.
even he would’nt be able to
Inoue got too comfortable and sloppy from round 9. MJ was too scared to let his hands go, I don’t think Junto would let it pass. Junto still has a shot at it.
Well, then he wont get comfortable
He will. Inoue is not known for his discipline
I think it would be a close fight
Closer than this one thats for damn sure
What This Victory Means for Naoya Inoue
Inoue’s Standing in World Boxing
This unanimous decision raises Inoue’s record to 31-0 (27 KOs), solidifying his reputation as one of the sport’s very best. By comfortably defeating an elite opponent like Akhmadaliev, Inoue has once again demonstrated his dominance in the super bantamweight division. His undefeated streak ensures he remains firmly in the Pound-for-Pound top three.
The Meaning of Akhmadaliev’s Defeat
Akhmadaliev now falls to 16-2 (9 KOs). Once seen as a major threat, this loss forces him into a rebuilding phase. For Uzbekistan, where boxing carries strong national pride, the result is a heavy blow and a challenge for the next generation of fighters to carry forward.
Japan’s Global Boxing Impact
Staged in Nagoya, the fight drew global attention. It underlined that Japan is no longer just a host for domestic bouts but a venue capable of matching Las Vegas or London in prestige and international appeal.
What’s Next: Picasso and Nakatani
In his post-fight interview, Inoue officially announced a December showdown with Alan David “Picasso” Romero (33-1, 32 wins, 23 KOs). Known for his aggressive style, Picasso represents another dangerous test.
Inoue also directly promised to face Junto Nakatani in May 2026, setting up an all-Japanese super fight. If both men remain undefeated, this clash could become one of the most significant bouts in Japanese boxing history.
Pound-for-Pound Rankings
Following Terence Crawford’s victory over Canelo Alvarez in September 2025, he is widely seen as the current P4P #1. Oleksandr Usyk, with his undisputed titles at cruiserweight and subsequent heavyweight triumph, is close behind. Inoue, currently around #3, remains firmly in contention. With dominant victories against Picasso and Nakatani, he could reclaim the top spot in the near future.
Japan’s Lightweight Golden Era
With Inoue at super bantamweight and Nakatani rising as a two-belt bantamweight champion preparing to move up, Japan is entering a true golden era in the lighter divisions. Their eventual clash won’t just be about personal legacies but a showcase of Japanese boxing’s global strength.
Conclusion: Inoue’s Statement Victory and the Future of Japanese Boxing
Naoya Inoue’s unanimous decision over Akhmadaliev was more than just a title defense — it was a statement that he remains untouchable at super bantamweight. With Picasso and Nakatani now on the horizon, Inoue stands on the brink of defining not just his own legacy but also Japan’s role at the very top of the boxing world.
The golden age of Japanese boxing may have only just begun.
See you in the next article.
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