Boxing

Naoya Inoue Claps Back At Junto Nakatani's Trainer Following Recent Comments

"The Monster" responds to Junto Nakatani's trainer, as a potential super-fight looms in 2026.
Johan Alyas Blanco|
Junto Nakatani (left) and Naoya Inoue (right) during the JBC Annual Boxing Awards ceremony 2024 at Tokyo Dome Hotel.
Junto Nakatani (left) and Naoya Inoue (right) during the JBC Annual Boxing Awards ceremony 2024 at Tokyo Dome Hotel. | IMAGO / AFLOSPORT

It did not take long for Naoya Inoue to respond to recent comments made by Junto Nakatani's team.

Rudy Hernandez, Nakatani's head trainer, told Ring Magazine that they want to face Inoue (30-0, 27 KOs) before he starts to decline and uses age as an excuse.

"The Monster", however, did not take long to respond to those remarks. Inoue posted on "X", saying that he'll still be at his peak next year, adding that nobody is slowing down.

Inoue is coming off an 8th round stoppage win over Ramon Cardenas which saw the undisputed super-bantamweight champion hit the canvas for the second time in his career. That knockdown sparked discussion among fans and boxers following the performance.

Inoue and Nakatani (30-0 23 KOs) are targeting a super-fight in May 2026 at the Tokyo Dome. Both are in the Ring Magazine's pound-for-pound rankings, with Inoue at No.2 and Nakatani at No. 7. A bout between the two is shaping up to be the biggest fight in Japanese boxing history.

Naoya Inoue, world super bantamweight boxing champion of Japan during an April 5, 2025 press conference.
Naoya Inoue, world super bantamweight boxing champion of Japan during an April 5, 2025 press conference. | IMAGO / AFLOSPORT

Nakatani is currently preparing to face IBF bantamweight champion Ryosuke Nishida (10-0, 2 KOs) in a unfication bout on June 8th at Ariake Colosseum in Japan. While Inoue has fightslooming against Murodjon Akhmadaliev and potentially WBA featherweight champion Nick Ball.

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Johan Alyas Blanco
JOHAN ALYAS BLANCO

Johan Alyas Blanco is a writer for KO On SI. Before joining in March 2025, he worked as a News Producer in Tallahassee and Orlando. He also works for several fight promotions in boxing and MMA, working on social media content. When he’s not writing, Alyas covers boxing on his own YouTube channel, The Split Decision. Blanco has a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism from UCF, with a minor in sports business management. Alyas has interviewed several big names in combat sports, including Jorge Masvidal, Edgar Berlanga and Brian Norman Jr. His goal is to bring boxing back to prominence.

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