Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation super lightweight champion Daishi Nagata of Misako Boxing Gym earned a 12-round majority decision over the World Boxing Organization’s Asia-Pacific champion Koki Inoue of Ohashi Boxing Gym in the title unification bout in Tokyo on Feb. 22.

  With the win, 34-year-old Nagata successfully defended his OPBF title he won in December 2022 for the first time and added the WBO’s Asia-Pacific title.

It was Nagata’s second straight victory over Inoue as he wrested Inoue’s then Japanese super lightweight title with a technical knockout in July 2020.

After the fight, the 31-year-old Inoue, a cousin of Naoya ‘’the Monster’’ Inoue, hinted at his retirement from boxing. He once retired after his loss to Nagata but returned to the ring in February last year.

  Fighting at Korakuen Hall, both southpaws exchanged blows with Inoue slightly getting the better of it, although he had his left hand injured in the fourth round, in which Inoue severely staggered Nagata with various punches, centering on right uppercuts.

  While Inoue’s number of moves in attack subsided in the following rounds, Nagata increased his attack by moving side to side and piled up points, which led to his slight victory.

  Nagata now has a record of 19 wins, including six KOs, against three losses and two draws. Inoue sagged to a 17-2 win-loss record with 14 KOs.