“Dressed to the Nines” Naoya Inoue Makes History at the Japan Boxing Awards 2025

Japanese boxing pulled out all the stops to celebrate the annual Japan Boxing Awards 2025 ceremony. In a night filled with symbolism, constellations and stars,

“The Monster” Naoya Inoue once again elevated his legend by being honored with the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the Year award.

This recognition marks the ninth time Inoue has received the highest honor in Japanese pugilism and the eighth consecutive time—an unprecedented streak that reaffirms his absolute dominance and his status as one of the best pound-for-pound boxers on the planet.

Inoue’s selection as MVP responds to an impeccable performance, where the undisputed super bantamweight champion successfully defended his crowns against the most demanding challengers, maintaining his undefeated record and his astonishing knockout capability.

In addition to the stellar recognition for Inoue, the ceremony honored the best local talent in various categories:

Valuable Victory: Seiya Tsutsumi

Effort Award: Tomoya Tsuboi

Knockout of the Year: Masamichi Yabuki

Rookie of the Year Honorable Mention: Kyosuke Takami

Female Fighter of the Year: Mizuki Hiruta

Fight of the Year: The WBC and WBA Flyweight world unification bout between Kenshiro Teraji and Seigo Yuri Akui

Trainer of the Year: Shingo Inoue, father of Naoya and Takuma