TOKYO, Japan – “We’ve had a good preparation, so I can't wait for tomorrow,” Junto Nakatani told BoxingScene as he leaned back in his chair, just 24 hours from the fight of his life, and perhaps the biggest in Japanese boxing history.

One would think Nakatani would be sitting in silence, with the mammoth task at hand tomorrow night swirling round his mind. However, there he sat, relaxed and smiling, as he had been all week, even cracking a joke with friends ahead of facing “The Monster” Naoya Inoue.

The pair will meet on Saturday at the Tokyo Dome for the undisputed junior featherweight championship – a fight years in the making. It had been discussed back when Nakatani was collecting titles at bantamweight, and then, when he moved up to 122lbs last year, the path finally aligned.

Inoue, however, had been on the mind of Nakatani for much longer.

“Yeah, about nine years ago when they had the annual ceremonies in Japan. That was the time I started thinking about fighting Inoue,” Nakatani said through a translator.

In an era where the biggest fights are too often delayed or avoided, this stands apart. Two of the best fighters in the world, both in their prime, meeting without hesitation.

Nakatani appreciates that.

“Obviously we both have respect for each other, so that means it's gonna be a great fight and it's going to be in the history books for sure,” the 28-year-old said.

This will be Nakatani’s second bout at 122lbs since vacating his WBC and IBF bantamweight titles to move up in weight. Nakatani had looked unstoppable, knocking out all five of his opponents at 118lbs, but struggled in his junior featherweight debut.

He fought Sebastian Hernandez in Saudi Arabia in December. Nakatani was pushed to the limit, forced to go the distance in a performance that raised questions rather than answered them. Nakatani was awarded the win, but some felt the decision could have gone the other way.

Nakatani, however, views it differently.

“After the fight I had time to focus on myself and what was happening in Saudi Arabia,” said Nakatani, 32-0 (24 KOs). “Then the time I spent focusing on myself will show in the fight tomorrow. Obviously Inoue and Hernandez have different styles, but we'll show everyone tomorrow how I became a better boxer from the fight.”

If there are doubts surrounding Nakatani, they are matched by questions on the other side. Inoue, for all his dominance, has shown flashes of vulnerability in recent outings, particularly against left hands – a weapon of Nakatani’s choice.

“The left hook, it's kind of important, but I have other options,” Nakatani said. “Then we'll see what I'm gonna do.”

Although he sat relaxed in his hotel room, smiling away as the clock ticked ever closer to Saturday night, Nakatani was certain of the result.

“I'm going to win the fight,” he said. “Then I'm just going to tell everyone who's going to be watching the fight my story.”

The most important chapter of that story will be written tomorrow.