Naoya Inoue (left) punches Murodjon Akhmadaliev in the seventh round of their super bantamweight title fight on September 14, 2025, at IG Arena in Nagoya. (©KYODO)
Naoya Inoue is still the king of the super bantamweight division.
The undisputed champion of the 122-pound division outclassed challenger Murodjon Akhmadaliev in their title clash at Nagoya's IG Arena on Sunday, September 14, winning by unanimous decision. Two judges scored the bout 118-110 in favor of Inoue, and the other's scorecard read 117-111.
Therefore, Inoue retained his four title belts (WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO) and improved to 31-0 (27 knockouts).
Akhmadaliev slipped to 14-2 (11 KOs).
Inoue dictated the outcome of the fight with his punching power and speed, disrupting his Uzbek opponent's rhythm again and again.
"Monster" Inoue, 32, said he faced a formidable foe in Nagoya, but he rose to the occasion.
"I was so motivated to face a fighter as good as Murodjon Akhmadaliev," Inoue said through a translator after the fight, according to Boxing Scene. "He is so good at boxing. Because of him, I was able to fight so good tonight."
It was Inoue's fifth fight as the holder of the four major global boxing organizations' super bantamweight title straps. He also extended an astonishing streak by fighting in his 26th straight world title bout.
While that streak is still intact, another ended in Sunday's Inoue-Akhmadaliev showdown.
The Japanese boxing legend's run of 11 consecutive stoppage victories ended. Inoue's last match to go the distance was against Filipino Nonito Donaire in November 2019 at Saitama Super Arena. (In their rematch, Inoue whipped Donaire, winning via a second-round technical knockout in June 2022 at the same venue.)
A Few Details from the Fight
In the first round, there were short lulls without a flurry of punches from both fighters as they sized up their opponent. What stood out, though, was Naoya Inoue's superb jab and a potent left hook to close out the round.
Moments later, early in the second round, Inoue proved he was up for the challenge of matching Akhmadaliev punch for punch when he unleashed an on-the-button jab on a quick counterattack.
Inoue also deftly stepped aside or ducked out of the way of numerous punches throughout the bout, providing a sign of things to come in Round 2.
The action picked up in the fifth round, with both fighters exchanging several punching combinations. It was arguably Akhmadaliev's best round of the bout. But Inoue continued to land body shots with both hands to close out the round.
Inoue wrapped up Round 7 with a strong right, pelting his opponent before the sound of the bell.
Shortly after the midway point of the eighth round, Inoue's energy and tactical focus were on full display as he launched an impressive left hook to the Uzbek's midsection.
In a nutshell of the entire fight, the ninth round demonstrated that Inoue's full arsenal of punches and the frequency with which he landed them would determine what was written on the three judges' scorecards.
Post-Fight Reactions
Top Rank Boxing head honcho Bob Arum, one of the fight's co-promoters, said Inoue's latest victory highlighted his reputation as a legend in the sport.
"We've seen what a complete fighter Inoue has become," Arum was quoted as saying by Boxing Scene, a popular website for the sport. "He has great power, great footwork ― attributes that all of the all-time greats have. This man demonstrated it."
How did Inoue assess his performance before the announced crowd of 17,000?
"I used a great strategy, using my speed and technique," Inoue said after the fight, according to ringmazine.com.
He then said, "I stuck to my game plan and was happy to go the distance. [And] I proved that I could fight smart tonight."
An Authoritative Verdict
Tom Gray, who writes for The Ring magazine and its website, penned a notable recap of the title match. It included a convincing argument that Inoue dominated the 12 rounds.
"Entering the final third of the fight, Akhmadaliev needed a knockout," wrote Gray. "He was miles behind on points and looked dispirited. He wasn't quick enough, he wasn't powerful enough, he wasn't clever enough. [And] he simply wasn't good enough to topple a pound-for-pound great operating on a different level."
Did You Know?
Inoue entered his fight against Akhmadaliev No 2 on The Ring's pound-for-pound rankings, trailing only Ukrainian heavyweight champ Oleksandr Usyk.
What's Next for Naoya Inoue?
For Naoya Inoue, it's been an action-packed year, and he's expected to make his fourth title defense of 2025 in Saudi Arabia. His likely opponent is Mexico's David Picasso (32-0-1, 17 KOs) on December 27, according to numerous media outlets.
RELATED:
- Naoya Inoue Faces Biggest Challenge Against Murodjon Akhmadaliev
- [JAPAN SPORTS NOTEBOOK] Boxing Stars Inoue and Nakatani Agree to Fight in 2026
- Naoya Inoue Extends Title Reign with an 8th-Round TKO of Ramon Cardenas
Author: Ed Odeven
Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.
