Junto Nakatani Looking For the Stoppage Against Astrolabio
Reigning WBC bantamweight champion Junto Nakatani (27-0, 20 KOs) has been as impressive as any fighter in the sport. Can he continue to dominate against mandatory challenger Vincent “Asero” Astrolabio (19-4, 14 KOs)?
Nakatani and Astrolabio will fight on July 20 at the Ryogoku Kokugikan Sumo Arena in Tokyo, Japan. Organizers for the contest announced the contest at a press event in Tokyo. Nakatani is currently training in Los Angeles, California. But he relayed the following message for the local media in attendance about his upcoming title defense:
(Translated from Japanese) “While my opponent is a hard puncher, I will fight at a distance of mine and want to knock him out.”
The southpaw champion is a devastating combination of skill and power. There’s emerging talk in boxing circles that the 26-year-old poses the biggest threat to superstar and reigning undisputed junior featherweight champion Naoya Inoue.
STEAMROLLING THE COMPETITION
After winning world titles at 112 and 115, Nakatani destroyed Alexandro Santiago in six rounds to win the then-vacant bantamweight title in February 2024. Many pundits rate Nakatani among the elite fighters in boxing’s lower-weight divisions.
Next up is Astrolabio. The mandatory challenger lost his previous world title fight against Jason Moloney in May 2023. He bounced back with an eleventh-stoppage over Nawaphon Sor Rungvisai in a WBC bantamweight title eliminator in August 2023 . Asero is a durable fighter with a reputation for having a good chin.
A knockout win from Nakatani moves him one step closer to possible unification at 118. It also further enhances his surging reputation as one of the dominant fighters in the business.
