Junto Nakatani vs Angel Acosta Could Be One of the Best Fights in 2021
On May 27, 3KingsBoxing reported the WBO ordered a June 1 purse bid for a fight between current flyweight champion Junto Nakatani (21-0, 16 KOs) and mandatory challenger, Angel Acosta (22-2, 21 KOs).
That purse bid was canceled on June 2 as an agreement was made that Nakatani’s promoter, Teiken Promotions, would handle the negotiations. Here’s an update on the fight.
According to Japanese media source, Yahoo Japan, the match will take place on September 10 in Tuscon, Arizona. Original plans were for the fight to take place on May 29 in Japan. However, that was scrapped due to a rise in COVID-19 cases in Japan.
This will be Nakatani’s first title defense. He won the vacant WBO flyweight strap with an eighth-round stoppage win over Giemel Magramo in November 2020.
The 23-year-old southpaw from Inabe-gun, Mie, Japan, has been lauded for his skills and the ability to make fights look easy. Within Japanese Boxing circles, Nakatani is being regarded as someone with special talent.
Acosta is one of the hardest hitters in boxing! He previously held the WBO light flyweight title and is seeking to become a two-division world champion.
For those who believe Nakatani may be awed by fighting in the United States, think otherwise. He previously studied and trained in the U.S. He’s also expressed a desire to fight in the States in hopes of following the footsteps of fellow Japanese world champions Naoya Inoue, Kazuto Ioka, and Hiroto Kyoguchi.
On paper, Nakatani vs Acosta looks to be a terrific battle. Acosta is by far the toughest test of Nakatani’s career. It’s a classic matchup between the skills and guile of the defending champ versus the explosive power of the challenger. This has Fight of The Year potential written all over it!
By: Michael Wilson Jr.
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