SAGAMIHARA, Japan -- One is known as “The Monster,” the other “Big Bang.” The bout between champion boxers Naoya Inoue ...

Nakatani’s father sent him to karate school when he was in third grade because he was always playing video games. He later switched to boxing, where he fared better because of the weight classes.

Nakatani, a rising star in the golden age of Japanese boxing, is determined to knock out Inoue Junto Nakatani trains at a gym in Sagamihara City, Kanagawa Prefecture, Tuesday, July 1, 2025.

Nakatani’s next opponent is not decided yet, but speculation is rife it might be Cardenas, allowing fans to analyze how Nakatani fares compared with Inoue. The buzz is spreading to a fan base ...

Both Nakatani and Inoue have at least one fight before their dream match. But no one is expecting either of them to lose. “That’s the way boxing works. Inoue has a story, and I have a story ...

Nakatani's walkout music is a defiant rendition by aging rocker Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi, vowing to give up a smug existence and instead be brave and selfless like the World War II kamikaze pilots.