Naoya Inoue is arguably the finest pound-for-pound fighter in the sport and he’s also one of its most exciting. The Japanese sensation is back in action for the maiden defense of his undisputed super bantamweight championship against Mexico’s Luis Nery at the Tokyo Dome on May 6.
The 12-round bout, plus undercard action, will be broadcast by ESPN+ in the U.S.
Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) wiped out two unified champions at 122 pounds. In July, “The Monster” scored a crushing eighth-round TKO over Stephen Fulton to claim WBC and WBO titles. Five months later, Marlon Tapales surrendered his IBF and WBA titles to Inoue, who won that bout via 10th-round knockout.
WATCH: Naoya Inoue vs. Luis Nery, exclusively on ESPN+
At elite level, Nery (35-1, 27 KOs) is essentially the last man standing at 122 pounds. The Mexican-born southpaw has proven his class by posting stoppage wins over the likes of Shinsuke Yamanaka, Juan Carlos Payano, McJoe Arroyo and Azat Hovhannisyan. However, despite Nery’s vaunted punching power and experience, he’ll need something very special to derail the champion.
The Sporting News will provide live coverage from the full card in Japan and round-by-round scoring for the main event.
Naoya Inoue vs Luis Nery live updates, highlights, and commentary
Naoya Inoue vs. Luis Nery: SN live scorecard
| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Total |
| Inoue | |||||||||||||
| Nery |
8:14 p.m. JST/ 7:14 a.m. ET: Moloney had his best round in the eighth. He landed a flush right hand to the jaw that had an effect and kept the pressure on. The champ needs to keep up the pace because he’s behind on points.
8:05 p.m. JST/ 7:05 a.m. ET: Moloney had some success in the sixth. Takei appeared uncomfortable when the champ took the action to the inside. However, a right hook seemed to buckle Moloney at the bell.
8:00 p.m. JST/ 7:00 a.m. ET: Despite losing a point for a low blow, Takei is in command of this fight through five rounds. His distance control has been excellent. Every time Moloney attempts to close the gap, he gets nailed by a heavy shot. It’s going to take a lot for the Australian star to turn this around.
7:53 p.m. JST/ 6:53 a.m. ET: Moloney struggling with the power and lefty stance of Takei. The champion appeared stunned by head shots in the third, and one body shot — a legal one this time — had him sucking in air.
7:47 p.m. JST/ 6:47 a.m. ET: As anticipated, Takei is deducted a point for a low blow in the second minute of round two. He needs to stop throwing the straight left to the body.
7:44 p.m. JST/ 6:44 a.m. ET: Round one went well for Takei in terms of tactics. He boxed well behind a southpaw jab and kept Moloney off him. The bad news is that the challenger was warned three times for low blows. He needs to watch himself.
7:30 p.m. JST/ 6:30 a.m. ET: Ring walks have just started for the co-main event between Jason Moloney and Yoshiki Takei. Moloney is the defending WBO bantamweight champ and could have his work cut out for him against the unbeaten challenger.
TAKUMA INOUE RETAINS HIS WBA BANTAMWEIGHT TITLE BY SCORING AN IMPRESSIVE 12-ROUND UNANIMOUS DECISION WIN OVER MANDATORY CHALLENGER SHO ISHIDA. SCORES ARE 118-109, 118-109, 116-111.
7:13 p.m. JST/ 6:13 a.m. ET: As we head into the final round of this WBA bantamweight title fight, Ishida needs a knockout. Takuma Inoue has been largely dominant from the second round on.
7:01 p.m. JST/ 6:01 a.m. ET: We’re through eight rounds and Takuma Inoue is in cruise control. His superior punch variety and volume have been more than enough to keep the challenger honest.
6:44 p.m. JST/ 5:44 a.m. ET: Four rounds down and Inoue has bounced back from the flash knockdown in round one. The champion has Ishida’s nose bleeding thanks to an accurate left jab and his combination work at mid-range has been impressive.
6:32 p.m. JST/ 5:32 a.m. ET: DOWN GOES TAKUMA INOUE from a sharp counter jab by Ishida in round one. Inoue was boxing well up to that point and does not appear to be hurt.
6:19 p.m. JST/ 5:19 a.m. ET: Next up, Takuma Inoue — younger brother of “The Monster” — defends makes the second defence of his WBA bantamweight title against mandatory challenger and compatriot Sho Ishida.
AND STILL… SEIGO YURI AKUI (20-2-1, 11 KOs) SUCCESSFULLY DEFENDS HIS WBA FLYWEIGHT TITLE FOR THE FIRST TIME BY SCORING A 12-ROUND UNANIMOUS DECISION OVER TAKU KUWAHARA. SCORES WERE 118-110, 117-111, 117-111. THIS WAS AKUI’S SECOND VICTORY OVER THIS OPPONENT. KUWARA DROPS TO 13-2 (8 KOs).
6:04 p.m. JST/ 5:04 a.m. ET: As we enter the last round, Akui would appear to have the edge on points. Kuwahara has been competitive in every round, but his assaults have come in cameos in the second half. Akui has been the more consistent fighter of the two.
5:49 p.m. JST/ 4:49 a.m. ET: The bell ends round seven. While Kuwahara is still releasing some beautiful combinations, there’s evidence that Akui’s pressure-packed attack is slowing him down. The champion appears to be edging ahead on points.
5:34 p.m. JST/ 4:34 a.m. ET: We’re four rounds in and this two-way action is superb. Akui is on the front foot and boxing well behind a sharp jab. Kuwahara backing up, but scoring very well on the counter, particularly with the left hook. Neither fighter has a decided edge.
5:10 p.m. JST/ 4:10 a.m. ET: Our first world title fight is about to get underway. Seigo Yuri Akui defends his WBA flyweight championship against Taku Kuwahara.
3:00 p.m. JST/ 2:00 a.m. ET: Hello and welcome to The Sporting News’ live coverage of pound-for-pound superstar Naoya Inoue’s defence of his undisputed super bantamweight title against hard-punching Mexican southpaw Luis Nery.
What time is Naoya Inoue vs Luis Nery?
The main card starts at 5 p.m. local time (4 a.m. ET). The main event should start around 8 p.m. local time (7 a.m. ET), depending on how long the undercard fights last.
Japan Standard Time is 13 hours ahead of US Eastern Time.
| Region | Date | Main Card Start Time | Main Event Ring Walks (approx.) |
| USA and Canada (ET) | Monday, May 6 | 4 a.m. ET | 7 p.m. ET |
| USA and Canada (PT) | Monday, May 6 | 1 a.m. PT | 4 a.m. PT |
| UK and Ireland | Monday, May 6 | 9 a.m. BST | 12 p.m. BST |
| Australia | Monday, May 6 | 6 p.m. AEST | 9 p.m. AEST |
| Japan | Monday, May 6 | 5 p.m. JST | 8 p.m. JST |
MORE: Naoya Inoue or Terence Crawford? P4P rankings could shift in 2024
How to watch Naoya Inoue vs Luis Nery: TV channel, live stream
| Region | TV channel | Live streaming |
| USA | ESPN | ESPN+ |
| Canada | — | TSN+ |
| UK and Ireland | Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Arena | Sky GO |
| Australia | Foxtel | Kayo Sport |
The Naoya Inoue vs. Luis Nery main card will air on ESPN+ in the U.S. The undercard will air exclusively on ESPN+.
If Inoue vs. Nery is not available to watch live in your location or if you’re traveling abroad, you can use a Virtual Private Network (VPN). VPNs provide a secure and private online connection, allowing you to bypass geographical restrictions to access your favorite streaming services from any device anywhere in the world.
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Naoya Inoue vs Luis Nery price: How much does the event cost?
You can pay $10.99 for a monthly subscription to ESPN+ or buy an annual subscription for $109.99.
| Product | Prices |
|---|---|
| ESPN+ Monthly Subscription | $10.99/mo |
| ESPN+ Annual Subscription | $109.99/yr |
| The Disney Bundle w/Hulu Ad-Supported | $14.99/mo |
| The Disney Bundle w/Hulu No-Ads | $24.99/mo |
WATCH: Naoya Inoue vs. Luis Nery, exclusively on ESPN+
Naoya Inoue vs Luis Nery fight card
- Naoya Inoue (c) vs. Luis Nery for the IBF, WBA, WBC, WBO and Ring super bantamweight world titles
- Jason Moloney (c) vs. Yoshiki Takei for the WBO bantamweight world title
- Takuma Inoue (c) def. Sho Ishida via UD 12 (118-109, 118-109, 116-111) for the WBA bantamweight world title
- Seigo Yuri Akui (c) def. Taku Kuwahara via UD 12 (118-110, 117-111, 117-111) for the WBA flyweight world title
- TJ Doheny def. Bryl Bayogos via TKO 8; Super bantamweight
