Former three-division world champion Hideo Hasegawa (45) has shared his reasoning for not wanting a rematch between Naoya Inoue and Junto Nakatani in a recent update on his YouTube channel “Hasegawa Hideo’s Round 13.”
Hasegawa, who provided commentary for the monumental bout via Lemino’s broadcast, praised Nakatani’s growth. “Nakatani has gained experience and become stronger. If Inoue vacates the belt, Nakatani could become champion by beating anyone,” he stated.
The fight saw pound-for-pound No. 1 Naoya Inoue, arguably the world’s strongest boxer, go toe-to-toe with Nakatani in what felt like a life-or-death clash. Nakatani’s camp has expressed interest in a rematch.
However, Hasegawa expressed a different view. “I think we don’t need a rematch. Why? Because a quick rematch is difficult,” he began.
He elaborated, “If they were to fight in two or three years, Inoue (33) would be older and likely on the decline, while Nakatani (28) would still be improving. That wouldn’t be as exciting. This time, both were at their peak. Both were still rising, which made it so compelling.”
In Hasegawa’s eyes, this contest was a once-in-a-lifetime, unrepeatable spectacle. He praised both fighters, saying, “When I’m 70 or 80 years old, I’ll be able to brag to my grandchildren that I commentated on that fight.”