Many regard Naoya Inoue as the best fighter on the planet, with his pulverizing power and scintillating footwork enabling him to become a two-division undisputed champion.
At worst, the Japanese star is ranked at number three on any respectable pound-for-pound list, sitting just beneath Oleksandr Usyk and Terence Crawford.
And yet, regardless of any accolades he will inevitably secure, Inoue continues to amaze fans with his remarkable ability to emphatically halt proceedings at any given moment.
While boasting a near 90 percent knockout ratio, ‘The Monster’ has scored more 10-8 rounds than 10-9 rounds, a simply frightening, and indeed unprecedented, statistic.
But now, Inoue is seemingly eying up a showdown with arguably his toughest opponent yet.
Junto Nakatani agrees to fight Takuma and Naoya Inoue
WBC world bantamweight champion Junto Nakatani is potentially the most dangerous opponent that Inoue could face.
The 26-year-old has scored several highlight reel knockouts over the likes of Andrew Moloney, and comes off a first-round demolition against Vincent Astrolabio.
And now, rather than facing the top dog at super bantamweight, Nakatani looks to, instead, take on Takuma Inoue, setting up a compelling storyline for his eventual clash with the WBA champion’s brother.
“I’m going to do what I have to do for now,” Nakatani told Boxing Scene. “If there is a chance, I will. I would like first to fight his brother Takuma and then Naoya.
“TJ Doheny was a high-class opponent in his last fight and Naoya still knocked him out, so we have to give him credit,” said Nakatani. “We’re going to try to make that fight happen.
“I feel stronger at 118 [lbs] since I don’t have to cut the extra weight. My speed helps trigger knockouts.”
Naoya Inoue and Junto Nakatani must take care of business first
Of course, every boxing fan would love to see Nakatani and Inoue – perhaps Naoya more so than Takuma – lock horns in an eagerly-anticipated dustup.
But first, the pair both have their upcoming assignments to complete, with Nakatani defending his title against Tasana Salapat on October 14 and Inoue looking set to take on IBF mandatory challenger Sam Goodman in December.
However, following Inoue’s victory over Doheny, his promoter, Bob Arum, revealed that he plans to stage the 31-year-old’s next outing in Japan, before taking him to Las Vegas next year.
And so, the matchup between Nakatani and Inoue may not take place in the land of the rising sun after all, despite both fighters having established themselves as household names.