Inoue-Nakatani represents best of Japan, best of boxing

Naoya Inoue and Junto Nakatani climbed through Japan's scholastic boxing system, competed for domestic titles as prospects, and moved up multiple weight classes chasing the hardest fights available. Saturday at Tokyo Dome, they finally meet in what The Ring's Corey Erdman calls the biggest fight in Japanese boxing history.

Both fighters came up the traditional route, boxing in high school and college before turning professional under the same gyms that developed them as amateurs. Nakatani won the Rookie of the Year tournament early in his career, per The Ring, while Inoue beat future world champion Ryoichi Taguchi for a national title in his fourth pro fight. The two never sparred together — Nakatani refused to give his eventual rival any scouting material.

Hall of Fame résumés without the typical rivalry posturing

Between them, Inoue and Nakatani hold world titles across seven weight classes. Erdman notes that both are Hall of Fame-caliber fighters already, with Inoue a lock for first-ballot induction whenever he retires. Yet neither has carried himself like a made man. Nakatani changed his nickname to "Big Bang" as a nod to Inoue's "Monster" moniker, suggesting he would render the current ruler extinct.

The build to fight night contained none of the usual stalling tactics that plague modern superfights. No lofty purse demands, no questioning whether the other man was a real draw, no posturing about needing to fight in the United States. "They have repeatedly promised knockouts prior to their fights, and more often than not, have delivered," Erdman wrote. "In the instances in which they didn't, they unnecessarily apologized, as Inoue did in the ring following his dominant decision win over Alan Picasso."

Around 55,000 fans are expected at Tokyo Dome. The fight could have sold out anywhere, The Ring notes, but this one needed to happen at home. Weigh-ins are Friday local time.

Source: ringmagazine.com