Junto Nakatani overcame a cut but still lost a decision to Naoya Inoue in front of 55,000 fight fans at the Tokyo Dome in Japan on Saturday, May 2.
And, while Nakatani could be seen all smiles leaving the ring, and even spoke to the boxing media for five minutes after the official announcement of the result, he was still transported to hospital, according to one report.
It was a performance in which Inoue’s standing in world boxing grows even further, solidifying his status as one of the best fighters, pound-for-pound, in the entire sport. The victory advanced his pro record to 33-0 (27 KOs).
Nakatani’s record retreated, meanwhile, to 32-1 (24 KOs).
“Junto Nakaya appears at the press conference,” said sports reporter Daisuke Sugiura, who covered the event live on the ground.
“There is suspicion of an orbital floor fracture, and he will be going to the hospital, so the Q&A session is limited to 5 minutes only.”
— Daisuke Sugiura on Junto Nakatani’s injury
An orbital floor fracture is a break in the thin bone beneath the eye (floor), often from blunt trauma.
In boxing, it can cause swelling, double vision, numbness in the cheek, and the eye sinking. It can impair vision, depth perception, and punch tracking, which carries its own safety risks in a sport in which punches are frequently thrown and landed in that area.
Recovery may require surgery and months on the sidelines.
