The two best fighters in Japan took a significant step towards creating the biggest fight in the nation’s rich boxing history.

Naoya Inoue and Junto Nakatani made a gentleman’s agreement to eventually meet in 2026 while both were honored at the 2024 JBC (Japanese Boxing Commission) awards on Monday in Tokyo. The moment took place after the fighters accepted two awards each during the annual ceremony.

Inoue, 29-0 (26 KOs), was named JBC Fighter of the Year for the seventh consecutive time and eighth overall. His sixth-round knockout of Luis Nery, 36-2 (30 KOs), was hailed as Japan’s best fight of 2024.

Nakatani, 30-0 (23 KOs), was bestowed with awards for Best Technique and Best Knockout of the Year.

Inoue – a four-division champ and current undisputed junior featherweight king – went above and beyond the usual acceptance speech after being named the nation’s top fighter of 2024. Instead, he turned to Nakatani, the unbeaten three-division and reigning WBC bantamweight titlist who was seated on stage, and dropped a friendly challenge.

"It turned out to be a special year. I want to make this year even better," said Inoue after being honored for his stoppage wins over Nery and TJ Doheny. "I want to do the best I can this year for the big domestic match that lots of fans and people around the sport have been talking about. 

“Mr. Nakatani, a year later at Tokyo Dome, let's lift the mood around Japanese boxing together."

Nakatani smiled and replied, “Sure, let’s do it.” 

The bold move came after months of fans calling for the Japanese superfight, some going as far as to blame Inoue for the fight not yet taking place. Heavy is the head that wears the crown, as Inoue is universally recognized as rating among the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world. 

Boxing fans shouldn’t get their hopes up – yet.

The two remain a division apart and have both stated their own separate goals for the year. 

Nakatani has repeatedly expressed to BoxingScene his desire to unify at bantamweight.

The unbeaten 27-year-old was never afforded that opportunity at flyweight or junior bantamweight. He is fearful of outgrowing 118lbs before he gets the chance to face at least one other titlist.

Furthermore, the plan was never to race to 122lbs and immediately bump heads with arguably the greatest fighter to come out of Japan.

"I have to develop further,” noted the 5ft 8in southpaw Nakatani. “I'm looking to get wins in a more impactful manner.”

The good news for boxing fans is that, by the time that day arrives, Inoue-Nakatani could take place with a featherweight title at stake.

BoxingScene has learned that Nakatani plans to take his frame up the scale all the way to 126lbs, though the preference remains to first unify at bantamweight.

Inoue, who will turn 34 on April 10, will stay put at junior featherweight for his next two fights. The fighting pride of Yokohama, Japan, will next defend his fully unified crown against San Antonio’s Ramon Cardenas, 26-1 (14 KOs), on May 4 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. It will mark his first fight in the U.S. since 2021, though the journey will be one-and-done for now. 

As previously reported by BoxingScene’s Tom Ivers, a win by Inoue would then lead to a September clash with WBA mandatory challenger and former unified titlist Murodjon Akhmadaliev, 13-1 (10 KOs), in Japan. 

The most ambitious plans for Inoue’s 2025 campaign call for a fourth fight – likely a shot at one of the reigning featherweight titlists. Unbeaten WBA titleholder Nick Ball, 22-0-1 (13 KOs), is a leading candidate, though a lot of ground needs to be covered before any involved parties can begin to entertain such a fight.

Should Nakatani follow suit and claim a belt at featherweight relatively quickly into his move to the division, the all-Japanese superfight could come with two belts at stake.

For now, the only competition between Inoue and Nakatani will be to lead the type of campaigns worthy of consideration for the 2025 JBC Fighter of the Year award.

Other JBC award winners:

Women’s Fighter of the Year: Mizuki “Mimi” Hiruta, WBO flyweight titlist

Women’s Fight of the Year: Mizuki Hiruta TKO6 Ji Hyun Park

Fighting Spirit: Seiya Tsutsumi, WBA bantamweight titlist

Fighting Courage: Tenshin Nasukawa, bantamweight contender

Prospect of the Year: Riku Masuda

Amateur Fighter of the Year: Shudai Harada

Valuable Fighters: Tsutsumi, Takuma Inoue, Kenshiro Teraji, Seigo Yuri Akui

Jake Donovan is an award-winning journalist who served as a senior writer for BoxingScene from 2007-2024, and news editor for the final nine years of his first tour. He was also the lead writer for The Ring before his decision to return home. Follow Jake on X and Instagram.