“I feel that my size and youth should be a big advantage. It gives me an even better chance to win,” said Nakatani to The Ring.
Inoue’s reluctance to jump to 126 lbs at featherweight might be the most honest admission of his physical limits.
Inoue has fought guys who rehydrated to be heavy, but Nakatani is tall. At 5’7″ or 5’8″, he has the skeletal leverage of a natural featherweight or super featherweight.
Most of Inoue’s opponents eventually get timed because they have to lunge in to hit him. Nakatani can theoretically sit on the outside and pop a jab without putting his chin in the red zone.
The numbers back that belief up on paper. Nakatani will come in with a three-inch height edge, a slight reach advantage, and a five-year age difference. He also carries natural size from his climb through three weight classes, something he plans to use over the full distance rather than chase an early finish.
“This fight will 100 percent be a war, and I think I will win by a decision after I overcome everything Inoue throws my way,” said Nakatani.
In his December win over Sebastian Hernandez, Nakatani was forced into a high-output fight where both men landed heavily, absorbing 273 punches in a back-and-forth contest that went the distance. It showed durability, but also suggested he can be hit when exchanges open up.
It’s less about Inoue being scared of fighting a bigger opponent and more about him being a perfectionist who knows that once you lose the physical edge, you have to rely entirely on toughness. Nakatani is the first fighter in a long time who might actually make Inoue look small in the ring.
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