Junto Nakatani has openly acknowledged the status of Naoya Inoue ahead of their undisputed clash, placing his upcoming opponent at the very top of the pound-for-pound rankings.
The two unbeaten champions are set to meet on May 2 at the Tokyo Dome, where Inoue will defend his four super bantamweight world titles for the seventh time. Widely regarded as one of the sport’s elite, the 33-year-old stands alongside Oleksandr Usyk as one of the only active fighters to have achieved undisputed status in two weight classes.
While Terence Crawford previously joined that level by becoming undisputed in three divisions, his retirement has left Inoue and Usyk at the top in the eyes of many. For Nakatani, however, there is no hesitation - Inoue holds the number one spot.
The 28-year-old challenger enters the fight as a three-division world champion, having made his super bantamweight debut in December with a debated unanimous decision win over Sebastian Hernandez. On the same stage, Inoue delivered a more convincing performance, securing a one-sided decision over David Picasso.
Despite backing himself to win, Nakatani was clear in his assessment when speaking to DAZN. He named Inoue as the best in the world, followed by Crawford, Jesse Rodriguez, Shakur Stevenson, and himself to round out his personal top five.
With the biggest fight of his career approaching, Nakatani now has the chance to prove that assessment wrong - and potentially claim the top spot for himself with victory in Tokyo.
Image Credit: WBC