Naoya Inoue’s September 14 clash with Murodjon Akhmadaliev in Nagoya has sparked a ticketing frenzy in Japan, with resale prices climbing to 13 times their original value. The 17,000 seats at IG Arena sold out in under 10 minutes, underlining the star power of Inoue, 30-0 (27 KOs), as he heads into what could be his toughest—and final—super bantamweight test.
Originally priced at ¥10,000 ($67/£50), tickets are now being listed on unauthorized websites for up to ¥130,000 ($882/£653). Promoter Hideyuki Ohashi confirmed that legal consultation is underway, warning that resellers may soon face consequences. “We have been warning people to be careful in the past, but resales have been confirmed,” Ohashi told Yahoo Japan. “We are currently consulting with lawyers about how to deal with this.”
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The demand is fueled not only by Inoue’s dominance - four defenses of his undisputed crown in 15 months, nearly all in Tokyo - but also by anticipation of a generational showdown with Junto Nakatani, rumored for early 2026. If resale values are already reaching nearly $900 for Inoue-Akhmadaliev, the figures for Inoue-Nakatani could be unprecedented.
For now, focus remains on Akhmadaliev, the former unified champion aiming to halt Inoue’s historic run. The card also features Yoshiki Takei defending his WBO bantamweight belt against Mexico’s Christian Medina Jimenez. But outside the ropes, the fight over ticket access is quickly becoming its own headline.
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