By Oscar Decide
JUNTO Nakatani is one in every of boxing’s most underappreciated gems. Each time he enters the ring, an electrical efficiency is at all times assured. But, relating to discussing the game’s mainstream points of interest, his identify hardly ever will get talked about.
The 26-year-old is a three-weight world champion, ranked 10th on the Ring Journal’s pound-for-pound record and stays undefeated after delivering 27 one-sided beatdowns.
Slightly than labouring to a straight-forward victory on factors, although, Nakatani prefers to entertain his followers by, at occasions, taking pointless dangers.
Even when he comes up in opposition to top-level opposition, the WBC bantamweight champion will usually lead with audacious hooks and uppercuts from far out of vary, demonstrating that he’s at all times in management and might, subsequently, check the boundaries as and when it fits him.
He has, in spite of everything, revealed no indicators of vulnerability, breezing previous each acid check with seemingly no concern of working into hazard.
Earlier than shifting as much as 118 lbs, Nakatani sealed his legacy at super-flyweight after pulverising former world title challenger Andrew Moloney with a superbly timed overhand left, awarding him The Ring’s coveted knockout of the 12 months prize in 2023.
Then, in his final outing in opposition to Alexandro Santiago earlier this 12 months, the Japanese sensation ended proceedings, as soon as once more, along with his sniper of a left hand, stopping the previous Mexican champion within the sixth spherical.
Japan’s Junto Nakatani (L) fights in opposition to Mexico’s Alexandro Santiago throughout their WBC Bantam Weight championship boxing bout in Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo on February 24, 2024. (Photograph by Philip FONG / AFP) (Photograph by PHILIP FONG/AFP through Getty Photographs)
This Saturday (July 20), Nakatani will make the primary defence of his belt in opposition to Vincent Astrolabio, headlining a triple header of world title fights in Japan.
Astrolabio’s most notable win got here in opposition to a pale Guillermo Rigondeaux again in 2022, when he outpointed the as soon as fearsome operator with an exuberant however restricted show.
There have been, in actual fact, massive spells of the competition when the Filipino struggled to negate the motion of Rigondeaux who, regardless of being 16 years his opponent’s senior, had no hassle when it got here to utilising his educated footwork to search out exits out of the pocket.
However, Astrolabio used this efficiency – adopted by a extra complete stoppage over Nikolai Potapov – as a springboard to earn himself a world title shot in opposition to Jason Moloney final 12 months.
However, whereas he was aggressive all through the combat, the 27-year-old swiftly ran out of concepts in the course of the center rounds, permitting Moloney to take over and safe a majority determination down the stretch.
As bleak as this will sound, it’s tough, based mostly on his latest performances, to see Astrolabio holding a big benefit over Nakatani.
With energy arguably being his best attribute, he’s more likely to be, nonetheless, completely outgunned by his vastly extra expert opponent, who shouldn’t be solely heavier-handed but in addition units up his pictures with glorious vary management.
For Nakatani, then, one other scintillating knockout is firmly on the playing cards, and whereas it could be unwise to miss Astrolabio fully, there may be actually a temptation for him to contemplate potential unifications with the remaining bantamweight champions within the land of the rising solar.
Elsewhere on this weekend’s card, four-weight world champion Kosei Tanaka will make the primary defence of his WBO super-flyweight strap in opposition to Jonathan Rodriguez.
Since his eighth-round stoppage defeat to Kazuto Ioka again in 2020, Tanaka has reignited his embellished profession with 5 spectacular wins on the bounce.
The 29-year-old picked up his newest trinket at 115 lbs following a dominant unanimous determination victory over Christian Bacasegua earlier this 12 months, showcasing an arsenal of sharp counterpunches coupled with a collection of elusive manoeuvres.
His opponent, in the meantime, will probably be combating outdoors of Mexico for under the second time in his profession.
Rodriguez examined himself in opposition to former long-reigning IBF champion Jerwin Ancajas in Connecticut in 2021. After displaying super grit and willpower to go the space, he in the end suffered his second defeat as knowledgeable.
An identical story is more likely to unfold when he faces Tanaka, one other seasoned champion who, like Nakatani, will little question be seeking to unify his division within the close to future.
However with Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez and Fernando Daniel Martinez – two aggressive, explosive and, after all, formidable opponents – occupying the remaining belts, a transfer as much as bantamweight, the place he can turn out to be a five-division world champion, could possibly be a extra smart possibility.
