Some new research and more new facts on the Inoue vs Nakatani pay per view buys numbers after their record-breaking night in Tokyo.
We said the event would be huge for boxing in the East, Japan and Asia and it was.
But it was big for America and worldwide too accordingly due the international expansion happening for professional boxing in all countries now.
Transparently proved again after Naoya Inoue sold out 55,000 tickets at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo in Japan last weekend in his UD points win over Junto Nakatani.
But there is much more. Here is some new research and facts known now as Inoue vs Nakatani set a new record for PPV buys in Japan for all combat sports events doing more than 500,000 buys in Japan:
Inoue vs Nakatani – Key Facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Event | Naoya ‘Monster’ Inoue vs Junto ‘Big Bang’ Nakatani |
| Date | Saturday, May 2, 2026 at Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan |
| Attendance | 55,000 fans – sold out |
| Result | Inoue def. Nakatani by 12-round decision. Scores: 115-113, 116-112, 116-112 |
| Titles | Inoue defended IBF, WBC, WBO & WBA super bantamweight titles |
| PPV Record Claim | Per promoter Hideyuki Ohashi, the bout set a new all-time domestic PPV record for any combat-sport event in Japan |
| Previous Record | Surpassed 2022 Tenshin Nasukawa vs Takeru Segawa kickboxing bout |
| Nasukawa vs Takeru Buys | Over 500,000 PPV buys |
| Exact PPV Numbers | Hideyuki Ohashi declined to disclose exact figures but confirmed Inoue-Nakatani topped every previous Japanese PPV |
| Other Distribution | Fight also shown in 116 cinemas across Japan |
| Broadcast | DAZN worldwide; Lemino PPV in Japan |
| Fighter Records Going In | Both 32-0. Inoue: 27 KOs. Nakatani: 24 KOs |
Comparison to Previous Record
| Event | Date | Sport | PPV Buys | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tenshin Nasukawa vs Takeru Segawa | June 2022 | Kickboxing | 500,000+ | Previous Japanese combat sports PPV record |
| Naoya Inoue vs Junto Nakatani | May 2, 2026 | Boxing | Not disclosed, but confirmed higher | New all-time domestic record per Hideyuki Ohashi |
Platforms That Delivered Inoue vs Nakatani PPV in Japan – May 2, 2026
| Platform | Delivery Type | Region |
|---|---|---|
| Lemino PPV | Streaming PPV | Japan |
| DAZN | Streaming PPV/Subscription | Japan + Worldwide |
| Cinema Live Screenings | Theatrical Live Broadcast | 116 locations across Japan |
Previous Japan Combat Sports PPV Records – Before Inoue vs Nakatani May 2, 2026
| Rank | Event | Date | Sport | PPV Buys | Venue | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tenshin Nasukawa vs Takeru Segawa “THE MATCH 2022” | June 19, 2022 | Kickboxing | 500,000 | Tokyo Dome | ABEMA / K-1 founder Kazuyoshi Ishii |
| 2 | Floyd Mayweather vs Tenshin Nasukawa RIZIN 14 | Dec 31, 2018 | Boxing Exhibition | Not disclosed | Saitama Super Arena | RIZIN PPV |
| 3 | Naoya Inoue vs Luis Nery | May 6, 2024 | Boxing | Not disclosed | Tokyo Dome | Lemino PPV / DAZN |
| 4 | Floyd Mayweather vs Mikuru Asakura Super RIZIN | Sept 25, 2022 | Boxing Exhibition | Not disclosed | Saitama Super Arena | RIZIN PPV / FITE |
Key Facts on Previous Record Holder
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Event | Tenshin Nasukawa vs Takeru Segawa – “THE MATCH 2022” |
| PPV Buys | 500,000 |
| Platform | ABEMA – exclusive live PPV broadcaster |
| Price | ¥5,500 general / ¥6,000 day-of |
| Attendance | 59,000 total, 56,399 tickets sold at Tokyo Dome |
| Revenue | ~¥2.5 billion from PPV, ¥2 billion ticket sales, ¥500 million sponsors = ¥5 billion total |
| Record Set | ABEMA all-time PPV record for simultaneous viewers and daily active users |
Some other notes:
- Hideyuki Ohashi is Inoue’s promoter with Ohashi Promotions (they organized the event).
- The Tokyo Dome has a 55,000 capacity and has only hosted 2 other boxing events: Mike Tyson vs Buster Douglas 1990 and Inoue vs Luis Nery 2024 (that was some going from Inoue and Nakatani).
- Both fighters received career-high purses — per Ohashi — but official figures weren’t released.
What a fight and an event.
Well done to Inoue on the win.
Here is Naoya Inoue’s updated professional boxing record analyzed following the win.
