Naoya Inoue added another successful defence to his reign as the undisputed super bantamweight king, retaining all four world titles after outclassing previously unbeaten Alan David Picasso in Riyadh on Saturday night.

Fighting for the fourth time this year, the Japanese star improved his flawless record to 32-0 with 27 knockouts, cruising to a clear unanimous decision after twelve rounds of high-level boxing.

Inoue weighed 121.5 lbs, slightly heavier than the Mexican challenger at 121.1, and controlled the contest almost from start to finish. Although many expected the destructive “Monster” to end matters early, Picasso’s cautious, survival-first approach frustrated those hopes. The Mexican relied heavily on movement and defence, refusing to engage, yet earned respect by lasting the distance and showing resilience in the later rounds.

The judges’ scorecards reflected Inoue’s dominance, reading 120-108, 119-109 and 117-111. At just 32 years of age, Inoue’s victory marked his 27th straight win in world title fights, a remarkable run that sees him move past legendary champions Joe Louis and Floyd Mayweather Jr in the all-time record books.

Unbeaten former three-weight world champion Junto Nakatani was pushed to his limits in Riyadh on Saturday night, surviving a punishing twelve-round battle against the relentless Sebastian Hernandez. The Japanese southpaw, who tipped the scales at 121.6 lbs, improved his perfect record to 32-0, but only after edging a highly contentious unanimous decision over the Mexican challenger.

Hernandez, weighing 120.8 lbs and entering the bout with a 20-1 record and 18 knockouts, was expected to serve as little more than a preparatory opponent ahead of Nakatani’s anticipated clash with undisputed super bantamweight ruler Naoya Inoue. Instead, the fight turned into a gruelling test. The Mexican pressed forward from start to finish, applying constant pressure and refusing to give Nakatani any room to settle.

The judges returned scores of 115-113 twice and a wide 118-110 that raised eyebrows ringside. From this writer’s perspective, Hernandez’s sustained aggression down the stretch was enough to earn him a share of the contest, with the bout appearing level at 114-114. By the final bell, Nakatani bore the marks of his toughest professional outing, suffering significant swelling around his right eye in a performance that fell well short of expectations.