It has been confirmed that the Naoya Inoue next fight will take place in Nagoya, Japan on September 14 against MJ Akhmadaliev.
Inoue’s next fight will once again be for the undisputed world super-bantamweight titles.
Naoya Inoue Next Fight: ‘Monster’ Defends Undisputed Super-Bantamweight Titles vs MJ Akhmadaliev
Although his last fight was just a few months ago in May, boxing fans are already talking about Naoya Inoue’s next fight and who they want to see the ‘Monster’ in the ring with next.
The Japanese boxing superstar is the undisputed world super-bantamweight champion, as well as being a four-weight world champion and pound-for-pound superstar too.
Naoya Inoue’s record is now an impressive 30-0, including winning 27 of these fights via knockout. There is even more talk and conversation about Inoue’s next fight, which has now been officially confirmed for September 14th in Japan against MJ Akhmadaliev.
Inoue has beaten all comers at 122-pounds now, with boxing fans calling for the 32-year-old to move up another weight class to featherweight in an attempt to become a five-division world champion. That could be on the cards for Inoue, but not for his next fight.
Instead, it has been officially confirmed that the Japanese boxing superstar will defend his Ring Magazine, WBC, WBA, WBO & IBF World Super-Bantamweight Titles against the 14-1 Akhmadaliev on Saturday, September 14 at the IG Arena in Nagoya, Japan.
Should he come through that fight unscathed, which the best UK boxing betting sites are expecting him to do, Inoue will have a decision to make. Should he beat Akhmadaliev, he has nobody left to face at super-bantamweight.
It seems that all roads could lead to a move up to featherweight or a potential all-Japan super-fight with Junto Nakatani at some stage in 2026. These are his two most likely options, provided his next fight results in a 31st professional victory.
‼️ ANNOUNCED: Naoya Inoue will defend his Ring and undisputed super-bantamweight world titles against Murodjon Akhmadaliev on September 14th in Nagoya, Japan. pic.twitter.com/ybRS53HDrZ
— Ring Magazine (@ringmagazine) July 10, 2025
Could Inoue’s Next Fight See A Move Up To Featherweight In An Attempt At Becoming A Five-Weight World Champion?
Naoya Inoue’s next fight against Murodjon Akhmadaliev is a contest the best UK bookmakers are expecting him to win. After that however, 2026 could be a massive year for ‘Monster’ with potential bouts against Junto Nakatani or any of the world featherweight champions.
Time will tell whether this happens or not, but it is certainly an option for the 32-year-old as he seeks new challenges. A move up to 126-pounds could be a stretch for Inoue, given the sheer size disadvantage he’d have to overcome.
WBA World Featherweight Champion Nick Ball is one of the smallest champions at 126-pounds. In fact, Inoue, whose net worth now $7m, is actually taller than Ball, which is why a fight between the pair could make sense if Inoue was to move up to featherweight next year.
Rafael Espinoza, the WBO 126-pound king, is 6″1 and probably walks about at around 150-pounds outside of camp. That seems too much of a weight disparity for Inoue, who perhaps only walks around at a maximum of nine stone outside of training camp.
IBF king Angelo Leo is also a bit bigger than Inoue, so that would also be a tricky fight. That being said, Stephen Fulton now holds the WBC World Featherweight Title – a fighter that Inoue has already beaten with relative ease. Who’s to say Inoue can’t win world honours in a fifth weight class?
Saudi Arabia boxing chief His Excellency Turki Alalshikh now firmly has Inoue on board, so expect big fights from here on out for the Japanese superstar.
Be sure to claim the various boxing betting offers and free bet deals available on the SportsCasting site ahead of Naoya Inoue’s next fight.
