Takuma Inoue vs Tenshin Nasukawa: Boxing Preview

It’s one of the year’s biggest fights for boxing fans worldwide, and Takuma Inoue v Tenshin Nasukawa II takes place this weekend.

The Japanese pair meet at the Toyota Arena in Tokyo, with an advertised start time of midday on Saturday. The WBC world bantamweight title is on the line here, but which warrior will leave with the belt?

Inoue beat Nasukawa on points over 12 rounds at the same venue in November 2025. The world number three aims for more of the same against the division’s number seven in front of a global audience.

Major bookmakers offer pre-fight and live betting on Inoue v Nasukawa and the best undercard bouts. 

Armchair fans can read this preview, choose their best bets, and select the ideal market. You can call the fight winner or play one of the many fascinating specials. 

Pick the winning round, method of victory, total rounds, and more. There’s a bet to suit every gambler, boxing enthusiast, and budget.

Keep reading as former professional boxer Frankie Monkhouse previews the main event, offering his predictions inspired by the stats and form.

Our expert brings you up to speed on the form of both boxers, shows the betting odds available, and confirms his Inoue v Nasukawa boxing betting predictions.

Yokohama-based world champion Takuma Inoue is a 30-year-old fighter known worldwide. He’s currently ranked number two in his homeland behind Seiya Tsutsumi, and two places above Saturday’s opponents.

The champion is also third in the world at bantamweight, behind Jessie Rodriguez and Tsutsumi. Both rankings will improve if Takuma wins his 25th outing.

Inoue has lost only to Tsutsumi – a unanimous decision points defeat two years ago – and to Nordine Oubaali late in 2019. Since that last defeat, Takuma has boxed twice and won twice. 

He outpointed both Saturday’s opponent in November and Kazuto Ioka in May 2026, beating Ioka by the same method.

The champion’s recent form shows why betting apps have Inoue as their favourite. Do you think he’ll deliver? Here are three ways to bet.

Tokyo’s southpaw Tenshin Nasukawa has a professional boxing record of eight wins and one defeat. He’s ranked fourth in Japan and seventh in the world. 

Nasukawa may be a nine-fight novice as a prizefighter, but he wasted no time pushing toward the top names. Just three knockout wins and a 37% KO average show that the 28-year-old relies more on skill and speed than raw power.

Nasukawa’s only defeat came against Saturday’s rival, losing by a unanimous decision. The scorecards after 12 rounds gave it to the champion by margins of four and six rounds. That seemed fair, and we got the correct winner.

When I watched the first meeting, I didn’t see how the beaten man could improve enough to make the rematch any more interesting or competitive. Fans hope he learned valuable lessons in November and has a secret weapon.

The betting odds of 4/9 for Inoue and 2/1 for Nasukawa show bookmakers expect this bout to follow a similar path to the previous meeting.

The market suggests a strong win, but anything is possible in boxing, especially at this level. My advice to all boxing bettors: never let the odds keep you from backing a selection. The prices are nothing more than a trader’s educated opinion. 

Upsets and shock results happen often. Once the first bell sounds and the gladiators go toe-to-toe, opinions no longer matter.

Do you follow the bookies and bet on the champion at odds-on? Or do you prefer to keep your stakes low and back the challenger for a smaller stake? 

Here is a live example of each bet.

Now that you have the key fight details, including both boxers’ recent form and the available betting odds, I’ll share my predictions.

I don’t expect too much to change from the first fight, and I would advise a wager on Inoue to win, retain his hard-earned belt, and open the door for a unification clash later this year or early in 2027.

The simplest, easiest-to-follow option is the fight-winner market. Take Inoue to win, and you’ll boost your betting balance if he claims the desired result. Please note, this bet will return a profit if Inoue wins by knockout or on points. 

A showreel KO inside 30 seconds pays the same as a one-sided points win. If you’d like to take a little more of a risk, the method of victory is a smart approach.

Pick Inoue to win on points. The same bet landed in each of the champion’s last two, and in three of his previous four. The same was that loss to Tsutsumi, which also came on the scorecards.

Back Inoue to beat Nasukawa on points.