While next month’s title defense against Junto Nakatani remains the immediate focus, Naoya Inoue believes he needs to look ahead. That helps explain the path he has mapped out to shape his career. Against Nakatani, he faces what many deem the biggest test of his nearly 15-year career. With his super bantamweight undisputed title on the line, Inoue stands at a turning point.
Three days from now, Naoya Inoue will be 33. He knows time is not on his side. The challenge ahead is real. While Nakatani is not a big star at Inoue’s level, he brings strong credentials and poses a real threat that could complicate Inoue’s plans. But for a man who matched Larry Holmes’ record of 4 title defenses in a year at age 40, it’s a risk he appears willing to take.
“I’ll have 2 more fights in super bantamweight. The fight against Junto Nakatani, and one more match I’d like to do,” Inoue reportedly said. “Once that’s over, it’s featherweight. Featherweight will be my final weight class challenge.”
To set the record straight, while his views about the fights at 122 pounds could be debated, his stance on featherweight is clear. Last May, after he knocked out Ramon Cardenas, Inoue laid out his career plans.
“Yes, featherweight is my limit,” Inoue told The Ring. “I’m not interested in going any higher. If I were 170 cm tall, it would be different. But there is a limit to how much I can build frame-wise. Even at junior featherweight, I’m building muscle one by one, building up my physique, and taking on the challenge. I haven’t even tried featherweight yet, so I can’t think about going higher than that.”
Naoya Inoue confirms he’ll have 2 more fights at super bantamweight before moving up to his final weight class, featherweight
“I’ll have 2 more fights in super bantamweight. The fight against Junto Nakatani, and one more match I’d like to do.
Once that’s over, it’s… pic.twitter.com/8O5ayRJEYA
— Source of Boxing (@Sourceofboxing) April 6, 2026
For a man who began his career as a junior flyweight, that path appears to be his roadmap as he looks to close out his career. But the move also raises a few lingering questions.
The 126-Pound Landscape: Who Challenges Naoya Inoue Next?
First, once he gets past Nakatani – which most expect him to – who would he face next? One possibility is the IBF number one ranked contender and mandatory challenger, fellow Japanese Ryosuke Nishida. Another option is a rematch with Cardenas, given how their first fight saw Inoue get knocked down before he turned things around.
Beyond that, attention shifts to what lies ahead at 126 pounds. With Angelo Leo, Brandon Figueroa, Bruce Carrington, and Rafael Espinoza among the top names, the featherweight division has become one of boxing’s most competitive weight classes.
Inoue’s potential opponents are not only physically bigger; they are technically skilled, even if they are not at his level.
Among the possible matchups, Bruce Carrington stands out as a compelling option. The New Yorker, who, like Inoue, celebrates his birthday in April (17th), has been calling out the Japanese phenom for a long time.
“I’ve been calling Inoue out since 2023. He’s the guy to beat in the lower weight classes,” he told the Ring last month. “I feel like he’s flirted with coming up to featherweight for some time now. He’s even come to my fight, you know? It made me feel like he has his eyes on me and he knows that I have my eyes on him…. If he does decide to make that jump up to 126, I’m right there at the door, waiting for him. And I cannot wait because he’s a great fighter, man. He’s literally one of the best in the game right now, and I would love to be able to share the ring with him and prove why I’m the best.”
For the time being, however, much of it remains conjecture. While he’s known for his knockout power, Inoue is also known for his sharp mind inside the ring. So he should be able to come up with a plan that’s not only lucrative but also protects his legacy as he moves into the later stages of his career. But first, it’s the Nakatani puzzle he needs to solve.
