Junto Nakatani To Headline Two-Day Fight Festival In Tokyo
Japan’s rising pound-for-pound star Junto Nakatani will defend his WBC bantamweight belt against Petch Sor Chitpattana as part of a two-day fight card in Tokyo involving seven title fights.
Natakani (28-0-0 21 KO) is a three-weight world champion and will make the second defense of his 118lbs world title against second-ranked challenger Chitpattana (76-1, 53 KO) of Thailand at Ariake Arena in Koto-Ku, Tokyo on October 14.
Their bout will be one of seven title fights to take place in a two-day carnival of fights, promoted by Teiken Promotions and aimed at showcasing Japan’s boxing talent.
“I’ll aim for a knockout,” said Nakatani, 26. “I’m facing a southpaw for the first time in a while, so I’ll enjoy the process to get thoroughly prepared and look to build a body that allows me to perform to my ability.”
Nakatani has fought twice already this year, securing impressive stoppage wins over Alexandro Santaigo to win the WBC’s bantamweight title, before a brutal first-round knockout of Vincent Astrolabio in July to boost his pound-for-pound status.
The event will start the day before and will feature WBA bantamweight champion Takuma Inoue against fellow Japanese fighter, the No 3-ranked contender Seiya Tsutsumi. Inoue, the younger brother of two-weight undisputed champion Naoya Inoue, won the vacant WBA title by defeating Liborio Solis in April 2023, and will make his first defense against Tsutsumi.
Before Inoue enters the ring to headline the first day on October 13, there will be three other world title fights involving Japanese fighters. Kensiro Teraji will take on Nicaragua’s Christopher Rosales for the vacant WBC flyweight belt, Seigo Yuri Akui will defend his WBA flyweight title against Thai challenger Thananchai Charunphak, and Shokichi Iwata will fight Spain’s Jairo Noriega for the vacant WBO junior flyweight belt.
On the second day headlined by Nakatani, there will be two more title fights as WBO junior bantamweight world champion Kosei Tanaka defends his belt against South Africa’s Phumelele Cafu, and American WBO flyweight belt holder takes on Puerto Rico’s Jonathan Gonzalez.
The one non-title fight of the event will take place on Day 2 and will see Japanese former kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa take on Filipino Gerwin Asilo in a bantamweight showdown.
Nasukawa is perhaps best known for fighting Floyd Mayweather Jr in an exhibition bout in 2019. Mayweather sent Nasukawa to the canvas with his first punch, getting knocked down a total of three times in the first 140 seconds before his corner threw in the towel.
