Naoya Inoue has said he would welcome a future showdown with Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez, though all signs still point toward an all-Japanese super-fight with Junto Nakatani coming first.
Nakatani, making his debut at super bantamweight after vacating his bantamweight titles, was tested over 12 rounds by Sebastian Hernandez Reyes eventually getting a unanimous decision, with two scorecards of 115-113 and a controversial 118-110.
Later in the night, Inoue delivered a dominant performance against Alan Picasso to retain his undisputed super bantamweight titles. The Japanese champion controlled the bout throughout, earning wide decision scores of 120-108, 119-109, and 117-111 to improve his unbeaten record while handing Picasso the first loss of his career.
After the fight, Inoue was asked about a potential clash with Rodriguez and made it clear he is open to the idea. He said he would be happy to face Rodriguez if the timing aligns and if the American is ready to compete at junior featherweight.
Nakatani, however, emphasized that his primary motivation for moving up in weight was the possibility of fighting Inoue. He stated that becoming the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter is his ultimate goal and admitted he would be disappointed if a fight with Inoue does not materialize, though he remains focused regardless of the path ahead.
Image Credit: The Ring