Inoue vs Nasukawa II: WBC Bantamweight Title Rematch

Takuma Inoue and Tenshin Nasukawa are set to reopen old wounds in Tokyo this Sunday, Sept. 27, as they meet again at Toyota Arena Tokyo with the WBC bantamweight title on the line. The first fight was tense, technical and unforgiving. The second comes with even higher stakes.

The rematch headlines a stacked card in the Japanese capital, with the broadcast starting at 3:30 a.m. ET and the main event ring walks expected around 7 a.m. ET. Fans in the United States can watch live on DAZN, while Prime Video carries the show in Japan.

Inoue–Nasukawa II: unfinished business

Last November, Takuma Inoue (22-2, 5 KOs) handed Tenshin Nasukawa (8-1, 3 KOs) the first loss of his professional boxing career, edging him on the cards to claim the vacant WBC bantamweight crown. It was Nasukawa’s hard landing in the pure boxing world after his glittering kickboxing past, and Inoue made sure the lesson was harsh.

Since then, Takuma has done exactly what a champion is supposed to do: defend. He turned back the challenge of Kazuto Ioka, keeping the belt in the family and the momentum rolling alongside his brother, pound-for-pound star Naoya Inoue.

Nasukawa, stung but not broken, chose the hard road back. He punched his way into another title shot by stopping former two-division world champion Juan Francisco Estrada in a WBC eliminator in April, a statement that he belongs at this level with boxing gloves, not just in highlight reels from his kickboxing days.

The betting markets have taken a clear stance. Inoue enters as a solid favorite, hovering around -260 with U.S. sportsbooks to retain his title. Nasukawa sits near +200, the live underdog with the kind of power and flair that can flip a fight in a single round.

A card loaded with consequence

The main event sits on top of a card that could reshape multiple divisions.

Former IBF bantamweight champion Ryosuke Nishida (11-1, 2 KOs) meets Australia’s Sam Goodman (22-1, 8 KOs) for the IBF interim super bantamweight title. It’s not just a belt at stake; it’s potential access to the division’s summit and a future crack at undisputed champion Naoya Inoue. For Nishida, it’s a chance to reclaim status. For Goodman, it’s a doorway into the sport’s most unforgiving spotlight.

The night also delivers two more world title fights.

Undefeated Tomoya Tsuboi (3-0, 2 KOs) steps into deep waters early in his career, facing Ricardo Malajika (17-2, 12 KOs) for the vacant WBC super flyweight championship. Three fights in, Tsuboi is already fighting for a world title. Malajika, with far more professional rounds behind him, comes armed with experience and knockout power.

Then there’s a pure battle of unbeatens at strawweight. Ryusei Matsumoto (8-0, 4 KOs) and Russell Acosta (17-0, 13 KOs) collide for the WBO interim strawweight title, both men risking perfect records for a foothold in a division that demands precision and nerve.

Tokyo has seen its share of coronations and heartbreak in recent years. On Sunday, it gets both a grudge rematch and a glimpse of the next wave. The question is simple: does Takuma Inoue tighten his grip on the bantamweight throne, or does Tenshin Nasukawa rewrite the story that started with his first defeat?