Junto Nakatani is back in the ring on June 8 when he faces Ryosuke Nishida at Ariake Arena in Tokyo. The all-Japanese bout is set to crown a unified two-belt champion at bantamweight.
Unbeaten Nakatani (30-0, 23 KOs) brings his WBC belt to the ring, making the fourth defense of his title. The 27-year-old claimed the strap last February, dethroning former champion Alexandro Santiago.
Nakatani defeated Mexico’s Santiago via sixth-round TKO, sending his opponent to the canvas multiple times along the way. The official time of the stoppage was 1:12 into the round. With the victory, the Japanese southpaw became a champion in his third weight class, having previously held titles at 112 lbs and 115 lbs.
Stepping through the ropes in his next fight on Sunday, Junto Nakatani looks to defeat Ryosuke Nishida (10-0, 2 KOs) and unify a pair of belts at 118 lbs. The latter – the unbeaten 28-year-old southpaw – puts his IBF title on the line, making his third championship defense.