“[Nakatani] is a Japanese pound-for-pound fighter who has risen through the ranks,” post-fight Naoya Inoue stated. “There was pressure not to lose. It was a tense fight on May 2, so I’m relieved to have won.” For a pound-for-pound star, widely regarded as an all-time great, to praise an opponent who nearly derailed his undisputed reign reflects the level of challenge he faced.

Junto Nakatani delivered a relentless effort in the headliner at the Tokyo Dome yesterday. He didn’t just push Inoue. He absorbed everything that came with it. In fact, the clearest indication of that toll came after the final bell. Nakatani didn’t leave the arena for celebration – he left for the hospital.

“🚨 Junto Nakatani is suspected to have suffered an orbital floor fracture in his fight with Naoya Inoue 🥊,” a tweet from Source of Boxing read. “He’s expected to undergo a CT scan at the hospital for further evaluation.”

As the full story is still coming together, it nonetheless sparked a discussion online with some users speculating on when Nakatani suffered the injury.

Their doubts largely stem from the headbutt that occurred during the tenth round. It left a big gash on Nakatani’s right eyebrow. A fan, however, offered a different perspective.

“Respect to Junto, but these people tried to say it was because of the headbutt. Junto was clearly retreating, covering his eye in the 11th round after Inoue landed that uppercut,” they wrote.

Early on, Naoya Inoue established control and set the pace. But as the fight wore on, Nakatani began to claw his way back in the latter rounds.

For a brief stretch, that shift was noticeable. Inoue gave ground, and Nakatani started to find his rhythm. It still took a couple of rounds, however, for Inoue to settle back in and regain control.

Junto Nakatani’s brutal test and the road ahead

Even so, Nakatani earned widespread respect for a strong showing where, at one stage, it seemed the fight was within his reach.

He went toe-to-toe against Inoue just five months removed from a tough battle against Sebastian Hernandez.

That context adds another layer to the performance. Many felt Nakatani’s previous outing was below his usual standard and that he had only done enough to secure a win leading into this scheduled clash with Inoue.

Now, attention naturally turns to what comes next.

Considering the magnitude of the event, with 55,000 spectators filling the arena, the arguably biggest boxing fight in Japanese history has generated limited interest in a rematch.

At the same time, Inoue, who turned 33 last month, is eyeing a move to 126 pounds, with recent reports pointing toward a potential super fight against Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez. Taken together, those factors make a second meeting with Nakatani unlikely for now.

Already a 3-division champion, Nakatani currently holds the number one spot at super bantamweight – WBA, WBC, and WBO – while also ranking third in the IBF standings.

That position leaves him well placed for securing meaningful matchups.

Among the fighters who could test Nakatani before another title opportunity are former title challenger Sam Goodman and Ramon Cardenas.

A win, particularly over Cardenas, who knocked down Inoue a year ago, could strengthen his case and bring him back into the title picture.

For now, though, the priority is clear. Nakatani will focus on a full recovery before returning to the gym. He still has the age, time, and momentum to rebuild from this setback. And even in defeat to a modern great, his standing has only moved in one direction – up.