Mikey Williams/Top Rank
On December 27, undisputed champion Naoya Inoue will face off against top contender Alan David Picasso at The Ring V: Night of the Samurai fight card for Inoue’s undisputed super bantamweight title.
The fight will air on DAZN Pay-Per-View worldwide, and will also be included as part of DAZN’s new Ultimate Tier subscription at no extra cost.
Unbeaten Champion vs Unbeaten Challenger 🔥#InouePicasso | @ringmagazine | @DAZNBoxing pic.twitter.com/G8405xoug6
— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) December 22, 2025
We sat down with Inoue to talk about his upcoming fight vs Picasso, his thoughts on pound-for-pound rankings, and a possible fight against Junto Nakatani.
Tell us about your opponent, Alan David Picasso,
“Our style is totally different. I have an impression that he is a person who never give up.”
“No matter how the fight unfolds, I just want to aim for a finish, an overwhelming one.”
Picasso is a Mexican fighter, what stylistic challenges do Mexican fighters bring in the ring?
“I haven’t fought with many Mexican boxers yet, but I often do this sparring with the Mexican fighters. And in my impression, they were very brave and serious, and they never give up. This is the impression I have of Mexican fighters.”
You’re fighting in Saudi Arabia for the first time, how are you preparing for the time change?
I’m planning to go to Saudi a week before the match, and I will finish the hard training in Japan. So in Saudi, more likely, I’m trying to adjust gradually and getting used to the smaller environment changes, including the jet lag.
A lot of people have you as the best pound-for-pound boxer. Who is on your list for best pound-for-pound boxers?
“I think Usyk, and of course, Crawford will be in the ranking, but I think Crawford is number one for me.”
There’s a viral video of you eating cake before a fight? Can you explain?
@atsboxing Inoue just casually enjoying cake in the locker room before his undisputed title fight 😳🍰 #InoueCardenas (via @Top Rank Boxing) #naoyainoue #japan #boxing #boxingfans
“Basically, actually, it’s not the cake American people think of. This is called Castella. It’s basically from the Dutch, and this is a totally different ingredient from the cake, and there’s no oil. So maybe you can check out Castella. It’s not cake.. And this is purely for the energy.”
Junto Nakatani is fighting on the card as well. Would you like to fight him, and what are your thoughts about him as a potential opponent?
“Nakatani is already confirmed. So after I finish the fight against Picasso, we will fight.”
“I think Nakatani is quite tough fighter with a strong passion.”
Lastly, can you give us a prediction for your fight against Picasso?
“I would like to win overwhelmingly. I don’t want to let him do anything. I’m going to win.”