Japanese superstar Naoya Inoue outpointed Alan David Picasso Romero with a classy display to retain his undisputed super-bantamweight title in Saudi Arabia.
Widely regarded as one of boxing’s leading pound-for-pound fighters, Inoue, 32, showcased his ring intelligence, fast hands and sharp combinations over 12 dominant rounds.
Picasso, 25, was unable to live with Inoue’s speed and body shots in Riyadh as the judges scored the contest 119-109, 120-108 and 117-111 in favour of the champion.
Despite the one-sided nature of the victory, Inoue – a four-division world champion and undisputed in two weight classes – said he was disappointed with his display.
“My performance tonight is not good enough – I should have done better,” he said.
The win extended Inoue’s perfect record to 32 victories, including 27 by knockout, and sets up a potential showdown in 2026 with compatriot Junto Nakatani.
Nakatani outpointed Mexico’s Sebastian Hernandez Reyes on the undercard in a close contest marred by a controversial scorecard.
In a fight where a case could be made for either boxer, two judges scored it 115-113, with the third returning an inexplicable 118-110 card.
