A fixing device, comprising: a rotatable, flexible fuser belt looped into a cylindrical configuration; a heater disposed adjacent to the fuser belt to heat the fuser belt; a fuser pad disposed inside the loop of the fuser belt, and having an outer peripheral surface thereof formed in a concave configuration; and a pressure member disposed opposite the fuser pad with the fuser belt interposed between the fuser pad and the pressure member, the pressure member pressing in a load direction against the outer peripheral surface of the fuser pad through the fuser belt to form a fixing nip being an area of contact therebetween, through which a recording medium travels in a conveyance direction under heat and pressure; the fuser pad including, along the outer peripheral surface thereof, a protruding portion, an inwardly curved portion and a planar portion arranged in series in the recited order from downstream to upstream in the conveyance direction to face an outer circumferential surface of the pressure member, the protruding portion extending outside of and downstream from the fixing nip in the conveyance direction to protrude toward the pressure member while remaining out of contact with the outer circumferential surface of the pressure member, the inwardly curved portion to conform to the outer circumferential surface of the pressure member and to extend over a downstream side of the fixing nip in the conveyance direction, the downstream end of the inwardly curved portion adjoining the upstream end of the protruding portion, the planar portion to extend over an upstream side, opposite the downstream side, of the fixing nip in the conveyance direction, the downstream end of the planar portion adjoining the upstream end of the inwardly curved portion, wherein both the downstream end of the planar portion and the upstream end of the inwardly curved portion fall within the fixing nip. a rotatable, flexible fuser belt looped into a cylindrical configuration; a heater disposed adjacent to the fuser belt to heat the fuser belt; a fuser pad disposed inside the loop of the fuser belt, and having an outer peripheral surface thereof formed in a concave configuration; and a pressure member disposed opposite the fuser pad with the fuser belt interposed between the fuser pad and the pressure member, the pressure member pressing in a load direction against the outer peripheral surface of the fuser pad through the fuser belt to form a fixing nip being an area of contact therebetween, through which a recording medium travels in a conveyance direction under heat and pressure; the fuser pad including, along the outer peripheral surface thereof, a protruding portion, an inwardly curved portion and a planar portion arranged in series in the recited order from downstream to upstream in the conveyance direction to face an outer circumferential surface of the pressure member, the protruding portion extending outside of and downstream from the fixing nip in the conveyance direction to protrude toward the pressure member while remaining out of contact with the outer circumferential surface of the pressure member, the inwardly curved portion to conform to the outer circumferential surface of the pressure member and to extend over a downstream side of the fixing nip in the conveyance direction, the downstream end of the inwardly curved portion adjoining the upstream end of the protruding portion, the planar portion to extend over an upstream side, opposite the downstream side, of the fixing nip in the conveyance direction, the downstream end of the planar portion adjoining the upstream end of the inwardly curved portion, wherein both the downstream end of the planar portion and the upstream end of the inwardly curved portion fall within the fixing nip.