Naoya Inoue (Image Source: Getty) Japanese boxing fans were preparing for a historic night at the Tokyo Dome this December, but those plans have been stripped away. Instead, the much-hyped Ring V: Night of the Samurai will now be staged at Riyadh’s Mohammed Abdo Arena on December 27.
A bitter blow to the Tokyo Dome hopes
The move was confirmed by Turki Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority. He labelled the night as “Japan’s greatest fighters taking on the world.” While fighters will earn record paydays, the decision has sparked frustration among Japanese fans, who are left with only local broadcasts instead of the chance to witness history in person.The shift is a major setback to Japanese fans. With Naoya “The Monster” Inoue headlining and Junto Nakatani in a co-feature, the Tokyo card was set to break every record in the nation’s boxing history – from ticket sales to broadcast revenue. Industry insiders expected it to eclipse legendary nights at the Dome, such as Mike Tyson’s bouts in the 1990s. Instead, the action moves to a 22,000-seat venue in Saudi Arabia, nearly three times smaller than the Dome’s capacity of 55,000.
Naoya Inoue’s title defense becomes Saudi Arabia’s latest sporting prize
At the top of the card, Inoue defends his undisputed super bantamweight crown against Mexico’s unbeaten Alan Picasso. Fresh off a commanding win over Murodjon Akhmadaliev, Inoue has reinforced himself as one of the sport’s top pound-for-pound fighters. For Saudi Arabia, landing his headline bout is another milestone in its growing boxing portfolio, following Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua’s recent fights in Riyadh.Backing him is three-weight world champion Junto Nakatani, who moves up to super bantamweight to face hard-hitting Sebastian Hernandez. A victory could line him up for an all-Japanese super fight with Inoue – something fans hope will finally happen in Tokyo next year. Moreover, former light flyweight king Kenshiro Teraji looks to rebound after losing his titles.Also Read: Japanese Boxing Commission announces urgent safety reforms after deaths of Shigetoshi Kotari and Hiromasa UrakawaJapan stands at the heart of a once-in-a-generation wave of boxing talent, including Inoue, Nakatani, Teraji, Imanaga, the Tsutsumi brothers, and many more. Yet their biggest night won’t happen on home soil. Riyadh isn’t just hosting big boxing cards; it’s becoming a hub for MMA, WWE-style events, and massive international tournaments under its Riyadh Season initiative. What promises glory for Inoue and Nakatani in Riyadh delivers only distance for their loyal supporters.
AloJapan.com