One of boxing's most formidable pound-for-pound talents, Naoya Inoue, returns to the ring this weekend for a high-stakes title defence. The Japanese superstar, known as 'The Monster', will put his undisputed super-bantamweight world championships on the line against the undefeated Mexican challenger, Alan Picasso.
Main Event: A Clash of Unbeaten Records
The headline bout, staged at the Mohammed Abdo Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, pits two fighters with pristine records against each other. Naoya Inoue enters with a formidable 31-0 professional ledger, boasting 27 knockout victories. His explosive power and technical brilliance have made him a dominant force across multiple weight divisions.
Standing across from him will be Alan Picasso (also known by his middle name, David), who holds a record of 32-0-1 with 17 knockouts. The challenger aims to hand Inoue his first professional defeat and seize all four major world titles in the 122-pound division in what would be a monumental upset.
Undercard Spotlight: Nakatani's Path to a Super-Fight
The event's significance is amplified by a pivotal co-feature contest. Junto Nakatani, another elite Japanese fighter with a 31-0 (24 KOs) record, moves up to super-bantamweight after vacating his bantamweight world titles. He faces the also-unbeaten Sebastian Hernandez Reyes (20-0, 18 KOs).
This bout is widely seen as a potential eliminator. A victory for Nakatani is expected to set up a blockbuster, all-Japanese unification showdown with Inoue in 2026, a fight that promises to be one of the most anticipated in the lower weight classes.
How to Watch Inoue vs Picasso
The entire fight card takes place on Saturday 27 December. The broadcast begins at 9am GMT, with the main event ring walks scheduled for approximately 1pm GMT.
The event will be streamed globally as a pay-per-view on the DAZN platform. In the United Kingdom, the purchase price is £19.99, which includes a seven-day free trial of DAZN's full service. Viewers can watch via the DAZN app on smart TVs, smartphones, tablets, games consoles, and web browsers.
Full Fight Card and Betting Odds
The complete lineup for the evening, subject to late changes, is as follows:
- Naoya Inoue (C) vs Alan Picasso – For the Undisputed Super-Bantamweight World Titles
- Junto Nakatani vs Sebastian Hernandez Reyes – Super-Bantamweight
- Willibaldo Garcia (C) vs Kenshiro Teraji – For the IBF Super-Flyweight World Title
- Taiga Imanaga vs Armando Martinez – Lightweight
- Reito Tsutsumi vs Leobardo Quintana – Super-Featherweight
According to Betway, the betting odds heavily favour the champions. Inoue is a 1/33 favourite, while Picasso is a 10/1 underdog. In the co-main event, Nakatani is 1/12 to defeat Reyes, who is priced at 7/1.
This event represents a crucial moment for the super-bantamweight division. All eyes will be on Riyadh to see if Inoue can continue his destructive reign or if Picasso can author a stunning new chapter in boxing history.
