Undisputed super bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue has dominated world-level boxing for a decade and looks to extend his remarkable legacy at the expense of dangerous Mexican contender Luis Nery at the Tokyo Dome on May 6.

The 12-round bout, plus undercard action, will air on ESPN+ in the U.S.

Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) is the perfect blend of speed, power and technique. The Japanese star has outpunched the punchers and outboxed the boxers since turning professional in 2012. Nonito Donaire tested “The Monster” in The Ring Magazine Fight of the Year for 2019 but was annihilated inside two rounds in a rematch.

Nery (35-1, 27 KOs) is arguably the most formidable opponent left for Inoue at 122 pounds. Thanks to his skill and punching power, the Tijuana-based southpaw has held WBC championships at bantamweight and super bantamweight. In February of last year, Nery scored a sensational 11th-round stoppage over Azat “Crazy A” Hovhannisyan in a bout that was named Ring Magazine Fight of the Year for 2023.

Will “The Monster” devour another challenger, or can “Pantera” spring the colossal upset?

The Sporting News touched base with boxing insiders and experts to gather their thoughts on this power-packed showdown.

Who will win Inoue vs. Nery? Boxing insiders’ predictions

Dave Coldwell (Trainer)

Nery is a good fighter with plenty of experience. He’s a good campaigner, but he’s been around a long time and [that wear and tear] is a huge disadvantage against someone like Inoue, who is an absolute… well… monster.

And it’s not all about Inoue’s power; it’s his ring IQ, his intelligence and his actual boxing ability. I think he’s more than equipped to do a job on Nery in this one. I fancy Inoue to stop him, carry on with the run and get another sensational knockout. It could be tricky and competitive early, but Inoue breaks him down.

Inoue is the complete package. He’s proven [against Nonito Donaire] that even when he’s in a real horrible fight, a hard fight with hard rounds, he can still come through.

He’s just a better fighter than Nery.

Prediction: Inoue KO.

Nonito Donaire (Former four-weight world champion)

I think Inoue gets it. He’s faster, he’s stronger and he has the momentum.

Prediction: Inoue

Carl Frampton (Former two-weight world champion)

Inoue’s record is unbelievable. He’s been going through the divisions and beating the top contenders time after time. He’s an absolute credit to boxing in how he’s gone about his business.

Nery is a good fighter. He has that black mark regarding the failed drug test, but he’s really good and he’s someone that could test Inoue. But I just don’t see anybody in the super bantamweight division putting a dent in him in the near future.

Look what Inoue did to Stephen Fulton — it was one-sided and pretty easy, and we’ve not heard a thing from Fulton since. Inoue was brilliant in that fight.

Nery is a good opponent, I’m not discrediting him, but Inoue is elite. He has a bit of stardust about him and I don’t see any super bantamweight beating him… or many featherweights either.

Prediction: Inoue KO

Joe Gallagher (Trainer)

In Inoue’s last fight, [Marlon] Tapales did some really good work against him. He didn’t cause him real problems, but he had moments in some of the rounds and didn’t really push forward. He went to the body and stuff, but Inoue just went through the gears.

I think Nery is a really good fighter, but having went up against Inoue (with Paul Butler), if one thing isn’t working, he’ll just go to something else. And that’s the thing with him, he’s not a one-trick pony. Inoue can box, he can fight, he can move, he can dance, he can pickpocket shots, he can throw combinations, he can go well to head and body.

Is Nery one step too far? I don’t think so. Inoue and his team have been very calculating in their choice of opponents and the way they’ve worked their way through the divisions. I don’t think they’ve made it this far to make a mistake now. They’ll have seen something in Nery that they can deal with.

Fair play to Nery for taking such a hard fight, but I’ll be going with Inoue, possibly by late stoppage.

Prediction: Inoue TKO

Jim Lampley (Sportscaster)

I have yet to see any evidence that Inoue is slipping or that he’s in any way less interested in his career than before. I see him as one of the top two or three fighters in the world, on the same level as Terence Crawford.

I don’t know enough about the opponent to offer any reason why I think Luis Nery can beat Inoue. I think Inoue is a solid favorite in the fight. He’s a brilliant fighter.

The fight is in Tokyo, so I’ll pick him to win by KO. I think he’ll want to please his audience.

Prediction: Inoue by KO

Jason Moloney (WBO bantamweight champion)

[Inoue’s] a special talent and it’s hard to see anyone beating him.

I see [Inoue] winning and I think it will be a super exciting fight while it lasts, because Nery isn’t the sort of guy that will come over and just want to lay down or survive. He’s going to be going for the knockout and going for the kill himself, which will make a super exciting fight. When you get guys like that that are coming to win, it leaves the opportunities for them to get hurt themselves even more.

It’ll make a super exciting fight and I think Inoue will knock Nery out. [I’m] really looking forward to getting the win (over Yoshiki Takei on the undercard) and sitting up in the stands and experiencing that one live.

Prediction: Inoue

Daisuke Sugiura (Writer)

I fully expected to see the best version of Inoue this time. This is such a huge event in Japan, and the continuous trash talks from Nery fuel “The Monster” even more.

Nery has a puncher’s chance, especially in the early rounds, so my guess is Inoue could start somewhat cautiously but once he starts to hit Nery’s body effectively, the fight is basically over. Nery was hurt and knocked out by body shots before, and Inoue is one of the best body punchers in the business today. Inoue by fourth-round stoppage. We will see another perfect game from “The Monster”.

Prediction: Inoue TKO

Experts’ Predicted Result: Inoue 7/ Nery 0