By Junto Nakatani made a spectacular defense of his WBC bantamweight world title by knocking out Vincent Astrolabio in the first round. The fight took place at the Kokugikan Arena in Tokyo, where Nakatani delivered a devastating body shot that ended the match almost immediately. Known for his knockout power, Nakatani lived up to his reputation by landing a precise and powerful cross to Astrolabio’s body, which left the Filipino challenger unable to continue.
After the fight, Nakatani expressed his thoughts on future plans, including the possibility of unifying titles in the bantamweight division or moving up to face tougher competition. He hinted at a potential showdown with Naoya ‘The Monster’ Inoue, who is currently the undisputed world champion in the super-bantamweight division. Nakatani’s ambition to unify titles or move up in weight class shows his desire to take on the best in the sport.
The undercard featured several exciting bouts. Anthony Olascuaga, a gym-mate of Nakatani, captured the WBO flyweight world title with a third-round knockout of Riku Kano. Olascuaga’s aggressive style paid off as he landed a clean left hook that dropped Kano, who could not beat the count.
Tenshin Nasukawa, a renowned kickboxing star in Japan, continued his transition to professional boxing with a dominant performance against Jonathan Rodriguez. Nasukawa secured a third-round TKO victory by overwhelming Rodriguez with a series of powerful left-hand punches, demonstrating his striking prowess.
In another notable fight, Issei Aramoto made an impressive professional debut by knocking out Mongontsooj Nandinerdene in the sixth round. Aramoto’s precise left hook to the chin ended the bout, showcasing his potential as a rising star in the middleweight division.
Overall, the event highlighted the depth of talent in Japanese boxing, with Nakatani leading the charge as a formidable champion. His future bouts, whether in the bantamweight division or beyond, promise to be thrilling encounters for boxing fans.
