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Monster in Riyadh: New environment, new challenge, new spotlight as Inoue defends undisputed crown against Picasso
Date locked, storyline clear. The year-ender lands after Neoya Inoue’s wide decision over Murodjon Akhmadaliev in Nagoya, a result that kept all four belts in Japan and marked his first decision win since 2019.
Turki Al-Sheikh teased the Riyadh pairing for weeks; yesterday’s confirmation gives the winter calendar its headline. Inoue will face Alan Picasso on The Ring V: Night of the Samurai, taking place December 27 in Riyadh.
DAZN News's Aleksandr Bronstein outlines what to expect from a night not to be missed live on DAZN.
Naoya Inoue - Japan’s pound-for-pound king
(Getty Images)
"The Monster" needs no introduction; Inoue extended his impressive record to 31-0-0 in Nagoya last weekend.
The scorecards against Akhmadaliev read like control rather than caution: 118-110, 118-110, 117-111.
Inoue owned the lead hand, cut the ring and secured rounds without chasing a reckless finish. The stoppage streak paused, the aura didn’t.
Alan Picasso - Unbeaten, tall and busy
Jaime Lopez/Jam Media/Getty Images
Picasso arrives 32-0-1, high in the WBC queue and comfortable stacking work behind a tidy jab.
He is tall for the weight class and prefers accumulation to one-shot drama, the sort of profile that can win minutes until an elite finisher takes the exits away.
The Saudi stage is built for this: undisputed champion versus undefeated challenger.
Clash of styles
Volume against precision. Picasso keeps the jab out and stacks numbers from range, his height buying space.
Inoue works to narrow that space, take away choices and answer any square exit with a right through the guard or a dig downstairs.
If Picasso keeps the lead hand alive, he can bank minutes; if Inoue times the second phase, he can claim the moments that swing rounds.
The wider picture
Turki Al-Sheikh posted the full card on X, Junto Nakatani is claimed to be making his super-bantamweight debut on the same bill. These bouts are set to seed an all-Japan blockbuster in 2026 if both men win.
For December, the sell is simple: Inoue in command against an unbeaten challenger on a global stage; beyond that, the runway to Nakatani becomes the sport’s next conversation.
Saudi stage
Riyadh Season makes this a different kind of night for Inoue. It’s his first appearance in Saudi Arabia, a neutral venue, new environment and a bigger spotlight.
It also means more eyes, more noise and a bigger purse. With that comes pressure to look like the champion he is, and to keep the 2026 Japan super fight with Junto Nakatani on track.
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