Inoue vs Nasukawa 2: Rematch for WBC Title in Tokyo

Takuma Inoue defends his WBC bantamweight title against Tenshin Nasukawa today in Tokyo, the two Japanese stars running it back 10 months after their first meeting.

Inoue (22-2, 5 KO) won the original bout by decision in November 2025 and has fought once since, putting together a dominant performance against Kazuto Ioka. Nasukawa (8-1, 3 KO) has also stayed busy, coming off what by all accounts was a pretty one-sided win over Juan Francisco Estrada. Neither man has lost since that first Inoue-Nasukawa fight, which is part of what makes the rematch interesting to the Tokyo boxing crowd packing Toyota Arena.

The card streams live on DAZN starting at 4:00 am ET, with the Inoue-Nasukawa rematch headlining a stacked night of Japanese title fights, including Tomoya Tsuboi against Ricardo Malajika for the vacant WBC super flyweight title and Ryosuke Nishida against Sam Goodman for the interim IBF super bantamweight title.

What Changed Since the First Fight

Inoue settled the first meeting on the scorecards, and the version of him that showed up against Ioka looked even sharper. That win raised the obvious question for the rematch: has Nasukawa actually closed the gap, or does Inoue simply have his number? Nasukawa's own form since the first fight has been strong, but a decision loss to the reigning champion is still a decision loss, and he needs to show something different stylistically to flip the result.

Betting Angle

Sportsbooks currently have Inoue as a clear favorite to retain, with lines around -260 for the champion against +200 for Nasukawa. That price reflects the fact that Inoue already solved this puzzle once on the scorecards and has looked good since, while Nasukawa is being asked to prove he's a different fighter than the one who lost 10 months ago. Bettors leaning Nasukawa are essentially betting on stylistic adjustments or a knockout swing, given the plus money makes an underdog live if he can turn this into a shorter, sharper fight rather than a 12-round decision.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Takuma Inoue fighting in the rematch?

Takuma Inoue is defending his WBC bantamweight title against Tenshin Nasukawa in a rematch of their fight from November 2025, this time in Tokyo.

Who won the first Inoue vs Nasukawa fight?

Takuma Inoue won the first fight against Tenshin Nasukawa by decision in November 2025.

Where can I watch Inoue vs Nasukawa 2?

The Takuma Inoue vs Tenshin Nasukawa rematch streams live on DAZN starting at 4:00 am ET from Toyota Arena in Tokyo, Japan.