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Inoue planning 4 bouts for 2025, Nakatani eyed for 2026?

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Earlier today Hideyuki Ohashi, the chairman of the Ohashi Gym which manages Undisputed Super Bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue (28-0, 25), took part in a special event as he was appointed the Kanagawa Prefectural Police's one-day communications commander. At the event, he took a mock 110 call, akin to a mock 999 call in the UK or a 911 call in the US, as part of the "110 Call Day" event held at Yokohama Station East Exit Shintoshi Plaza.

Notably the event also saw Ohashi talking about his plans for Inoeu for 2025, and 2026, and it appears big things are in store for the next 2 years for the Japanese sensation.

Ohashi revealed that if Inoue over-comes Australian challenger Sam Goodman (19-0, 8) on January 24th, the plan is to have a bout in Las Vegas in Spring, Saudi Arabia in the Fall and Japan in Winter. If that happens, as planned, it would mean Inoue would be fighting 4 times in a calendar year, something he’s never done as a professional and very few world champions have done in recent years.

Just as notable Ohashi revealed "The big match that everyone is really hoping for may be the one the year after next,", before correcting himself and stating it's likely to be "next year", not the "year after next". Whilst he didn’t name names, it’s assumed he’s referring to a clash between Inoue and fellow Japanese star Junto Nakatani (29-0, 22) [中谷 潤人], which now appears to be eyed for 2026.

In July 2024 Inoue explained that he was planning 6 more bouts at 122lbs before moving to Featherweight, and would be in the division for 2 years. Interestingly the first fight after that was his win over TJ Doheny, Goodman will be his second. It’s assumed his next bout will be a WBA mandatory against former unified Super Bantamweight champion Murodjon Akhmadaliev (13-1, 10) [Ахмадалиев, Муроджон Кахарович], which is likely to be the Spring bout. If we connect the dots it would seem likely that Inoue will have had 5 of his 6 remaining Super Bantamweight bouts by the end of 2025, possibly suggesting the Nakatani fight will be Inoue’s final bout at Super Bantamweight. It would also give Nakatani time to acclimatise to the weight class, giving him a chance for a fight, or two, at 122lbs, before facing the Monster.

Whilst Inoue’s plans for the next year seem to be set, at least somewhat, for major fights around the globe, Ohashi did also reveal that he wanted to give back to the local area. He explained he wanted to bring a big fight to Yokohama and that "We have the Yokohama Arena, the Yokohama Cultural Hall has been renovated, and there are many large venues. We would like to hold a big event to contribute to the local community."

He also has big plans for the Ohashi Gym, explaining "Five world champions were born by imitating the style of my master, Chairman Kenji Yonekura. Yonekura Gym has also produced five world champions, including me, so I would like to surpass Yonekura Gym one day." He then went on to add "Just as I have watched over Chairman Yonekura, Yaegashi (trainer Yaegashi Akira) and Inoue are watching over me. I have no doubt that strong champions will emerge in the next 50 or 100 years." Almost as if he can see a strong conveyor belt of talent in Japan, with fighters following on from their mentors, like he did with Yonekura.