Nasukawa Dominates Juan Francisco Estrada in Title Eliminator
Time waits for no man, and all things come to an end. It’s clear that moment has arrived for two-division champion Juan Francisco “El Gallo” Estrada, who suffered a ninth-round stoppage to Japanese southpaw Tenshin Nasukawa in a WBC world bantamweight title eliminator.
OUTBOXED AND OUTFOUGHT
Fighting at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Nasukawa (8-1, 3 KOs) was the bigger and longer fighter. The 27-year-old used those physical advantages to excellent effect early, connecting with sharp shots from range. Having difficulty closing the space, “El Gallo” did find some success in rounds four and five.
Things took a turn for the worse for Estrada (45-5, 28 KOs) in round six, as he was struck by an accidental headbutt followed by a left hook to the body that left him in visible distress. From there, it was all Nasukawa, who increased his output and took over in rounds seven and eight. By the ninth, Nasukawa was landing at will as a weary Estrada appeared defenseless. At the start of the tenth, Estrada did not come out of his corner, signaling the end of a one-sided contest.
With the victory, Nasukawa now becomes the WBC mandatory challenger. He is targeting the winner of the May 2 clash between Takuma Inoue and Kazuto Ioka. Nasukawa previously lost a unanimous decision to Inoue in November 2025 and is eager for a rematch.
As for Estrada, this bout could mark the end of a distinguished career. A strong case can be made that “El Gallo” is a future Hall of Famer. However, at 35, it’s becoming increasingly evident that he is struggling to compete with elite fighters in the lower-weight divisions.
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