Nordine Oubaali Retains World Bantamweight Title in Unanimous Decision Over Takuma Inoue

The world bantamweight champion kept his word. His reassuring pre-match comments materialized in the ring.

"The fight will be explosive. I will have to prove that I am the strongest," Oubaali had warned about his fight of the day.

The 33-year-old Franco-Moroccan defeated the Japanese Takuma Inoue, ten years his junior, in Saitama (Japan), by unanimous decision of the judges after 12 rounds. After quickly gaining the upper hand over Inoue, he saw the fight even out before regaining the upper hand.

Now undefeated in 17 fights (including 12 concluded before the limit), the Lens native recorded his third victory of the year after his victories in Las Vegas (United States) in January against American Rau’shee Warren and in Nur-Sultan (Kazakhstan) against Filipino Arthur Villanueva.

For now, Nordine Oubaali’s next challenge lies in the unification of the category. To this end, the Franco-Moroccan sees new doors opening with, as an enticing prospect, a unification fight in 2020 against Naoya Inoue.

IBF and WBA champion, he also defeated Filipino Nonito Donaire by fists on the same Thursday, although it is possible that he will first be obliged to face his official challenger, Mexican Luis Nery (24 years old, 30 wins including 24 by KO, 0 losses).