Ring rankings fuel Nakatani Hernandez controversy

The fight itself remains the problem. Two judges scored it 115 to 113. The third returned a baffling 118 to 110 card that few observers could reconcile with the in-ring action. The fight was competitive throughout. The momentum has changed. Turns were exchanged. Many fans felt that Hernandez beat him to it. Others saw a draw. Very few saw a wide margin.

This disconnect has provoked negative reactions. Not just about who won. About how decisively the official result indicated that it had happened.

Ranking Nakatani above Hernandez so quickly was interpreted by critics as confirmation bias. The feeling that the decision has not only been accepted but reinforced. Fan responses across platforms presented the update as salt in the wound. Hernandez, they argue, did enough to deserve either victory or at least parity in the rankings.

Timing matters. Nakatani is already lined up for a title challenge in May 2026 against Naoya Inoue, who remains the division’s champion and its center of gravity. This path now seems accelerated by controversy rather than clarified by performance.

None of this proves Nakatani can’t compete at the elite level. But it explains why the ranking change worked so poorly. The fight did not resolve the questions. It created them. Elevating one side while lowering the other has only increased scrutiny of judging, ranking logic, and whether the gap between contender and champion is honestly measured.

For now, the fire was already burning. The rankings only added more fuel to it.