The Japanese Model 

A survey of Transnational’s and The Ring’s pound-for-pound landscape brings both pleasure and pain.

In one sense, the talent at the top doesn’t disappoint in its breadth. At the top you have the greatest switch-hitter since Marvin Hagler in Terence Crawford; the greatest southpaw to ever grace the heavyweight class in Oleksandr Usyk; and maybe the best Japanese fighter to ever lace on a pair in Naoya Inoue.

Outside of that, you have interesting boxers and punchers of various kinds and ages—Jesse Rodriguez, Dmitry Bivol, Artur Beterbiev, Junto Nakatani, Teofimo Lopez, Shakur Stevenson, Saul Alvarez, David Benavidez, Devin Haney. Lefties, righties, boxers, and punchers.

On paper, there isn’t much more a fan could ask for. The problem, however, is that the only time we get to admire this array of fight formulas is when matches materialize. Therein lies the problem.

For as talented as Crawford and Usyk are, their schedules have produced a paltry one-fight-per-year showing the last six of seven years. The former hasn’t had two fights in a single calendar year since 2019. Although Usyk had two fights a year more recently in 2024, he hasn’t duplicated that work rate since 2018.

Beterbiev hasn’t been much better, being off-and-on since he became the IBF’s titlist back in 2017.

Digging into the other pound-for-pound applicants reveals a more consistent two-fight-per-year schedule, though not consistently. Men like Bivol, Benavidez, Lopez, Stevenson, and Haney have largely maintained their timetable, but each has had at least one recent year consisting of a lone contest.

It’s not a revelation to say that it’s hard to sell your sport when its stars hold the limelight for so short a time.

But it’s not everyone. Two Japanese stars have thrown off convention this year and taken on a burden fewer and fewer pugilists bare. That is competing more than twice a year once they have reached the world level.

In the case of Junto Nakatani, his third bout of the year is set for December 27 against his third undefeated opponent, Sebastian Reyes.

For Naoya Inoue, he headlines the same card Nakatani is competing on. Only this is his fourth fight of the year and against Transnational’s 6th-ranked junior featherweight, David Picasso.

Their collective activity no doubt belies the nature of their impending clash, which seems likely to happen in 2026.

Whatever the motivation, the simple point is that everyone wants to see the best fighters in the world showcase their ability as often as possible.

We are no longer in the days of yore when gate receipts constituted much of a purse, and such, put a premium on activity. But the basis for the monetary equation works the same as it ever did—more fights, more money, and generally, greater legacy. That goes for winners and losers.

Personally, I think Nakatani’s resume has been enhanced by even the worst of his foes this year. Inoue too.

Did “The Monster” need to fight Ye Joon Kim, the Korean who was neither ranked by an independent organization nor perceived as a threat to Inoue’s Junior Featherweight Championship? No, but it’s another tick in the win column and another defense of his Championship.

Both Inoue and Nakatani have been on a tear and wins in December pit two pound-for-pound talents against one another.

Ultimately, that is what sells the sport. Two talented, active, and prime or near-prime fighters squaring off.

Heed the model.