🔗 Share this article The Japanese champion Moves a Step Closer to Landmark Tokyo Showdown Following Commanding Victory. Naoya Inoue paved the way for a highly-anticipated domestic super-fight by retaining his championship belts with a unanimous decision over Alan Picasso in Saudi Arabia on fight night. A Controlled Performance from Start to Finish Widely regarded as one of the world's elite P4P boxers, Inoue was in complete control from the opening bell. He stifled the previously unbeaten challenger with a blend of devastating precision, lightning hand speed, and relentless pressure. The scorecards confirmed his superiority with lopsided scores of 117-111, 119-109, and 120-108. “This performance wasn't good enough,” stated the champion through a translator. “I am happy with the win, but I feel exhausted. I'll rest and be much better next time.” Despite giving up considerable height and reach to his foe, Inoue imposed his will with crisp counters and thudding body attacks. He stunned the Mexican in the middle rounds and repeatedly pierced his guard, forcing him into a largely defensive posture as the fight wore on. Setting the Stage for a Domestic Blockbuster The win arranges a possible blockbuster clash with fellow countryman Junto Nakatani. Nakatani scored his own win on the undercard, securing a points victory in his first fight at the super-bantamweight limit. “I moved up to this division to win world titles,” said the undefeated contender. “Should the opportunity arise, I will seize it.” The champion responded in kind while stopping short of a definite announcement. “Both of us had very good wins tonight,” he commented. “For next year, we will decide what happens. But Japanese fans should expect something very good.” The Prospect of a Historic Fight Should it be made, an clash between the two champions bout—widely rumored for 3 May at the iconic Tokyo Dome—would feature two undefeated, multi-weight champions in their peak years. This represents a unique event in today's sport and is considered by experts as a candidate to be the biggest contest in the nation's storied boxing history.