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Junto Nakatani hints at relinquishing belts at bantamweight, plotting move to 122 division
Unified bantamweight champion Junto Nakatani has confirmed that his next fight will be at 122lbs, fuelling speculation that he will face undisputed super bantamweight king Naoya Inoue in an all-Japanese showdown next year.
Nakatani has stated his next bout will be at a new weight class, and as such, he will likely relinquish the two belts he currently holds at bantamweight.
Speaking to WOWOW, Nakatani commented: “Am I moving up to the super bantamweight class for my next fight? Yes. Will I relinquish my bantamweight title? Yes, I think so."
Having already won titles in three divisions, Nakatani currently holds the World Boxing Council (WBC) and International Boxing Federation (IBF) belts at 118lbs.
Shortly after adding the IBF strap to his collection in June with victory over fellow countryman Ryosuke Nishida, Inoue posted on social media: “Welcome to the super-bantamweight division.”
The pair have been linked to fighting each other for some time, with Inoue's comments and Nakatani's move to super bantamweight pointing towards a bout in the near future.
Inoue is currently scheduled to fight Murodjon Akhmadaliev this September, with rumours that ‘The Monster’ will have a further bout after, towards the end of 2025. As such, any bout would likely occur in 2026,
Nakatani will instead focus on work outside the ring, improving his physique in order to compete at super bantamweight.
The 27-year-old has used Rudy Hernandez’s gym in Los Angeles as his training camp since 2012, and will continue to do so for his next bout.
“Building my physique will be important," he said. "After that, it's all about feeling it, and how it feels when I move up in weight. It's a process of applying that to boxing.”
Two-division undisputed champion Inoue has also previously suggested moving up to featherweight, with Brit Nick Ball a touted opinion. Both fighters are undefeated, with Nakatani boasting 24 knockouts in 31 wins, whilst Inoue has stopped 27 opponents en route to 30 victories.
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