Unbeaten WBC bantamweight champion Junto Nakatani will make the first defense of his new belt July 20 at Tokyo’s Ariake Arena against top-ranked contender Vincent Astrolabio, manager Sean Gibbons told Boxing Scene.
Japan’s three-division champion Nakatani (27-0, 20 KOs) has been a destructive force, following a highlight-reel knockout of Andrew Moloney one year ago with a successful super-flyweight title defense before scoring a sixth-round TKO over Alexander Santiago to capture the bantamweight belt in February.
In the Philippines’ Astrolabio (19-4, 14 KOs), Nakatani meets a Manny Pacquiao-promoted fighter who scored a knockdown-assisted unanimous decision over two-time Olympic gold medalist Guillermo Rigondeaux in 2022 before dropping a majority decision loss to then-WBO bantamweight champion Jason Moloney one year ago in Stockton, Calif.
Astrolabio recovered from that setback to defeat veteran Navapon Khaikanha of Thailand by a spectacular 11th-round TKO in an August eliminator.
Here's everything you need to know ahead of Junto Nakatani vs. Vincent Astrolabio.
- Date: Saturday, July 20.
- Event start time: 10 am UK time/ 5 am ET
- Main event walkout time: 1 pm UK time/ 8 am ET
While the event starts at 10 am UK / 5 am ET, the main event walkout time, set for 1 pm UK / 8 am ET, is subject to change depending on the length of the undercard and main card fights.
“Vincent learned so much from his first title shot that he’s going to take into this fight,”
“He’s coming to Japan with heavy hands, looking at the big opportunity of winning a world title against a guy like this … being a champion around this weight class puts everyone in the (Naoya) Inoue sweepstakes.”
“We know Nakatani is considered a real beast right now and a possible opponent for Inoue next year,”
“Imagine if we whack the guy and look tremendous … plus, winning a WBC title is always the biggest and most prestigious accomplishment in the smaller weights.”
“He put Rigondeaux on the deck, which got everyone to sit up and realize, ‘Hey, this guy’s a sleeper.”
“He’s a late bloomer in that his early losses came at a time he was just learning and figuring things out. “This is a huge task, just like Luis Nery had a huge task before putting Inoue on the deck. Yes, he got stopped, but he showed these guys in Japan aren’t untouchable.
“Vincent comes with a winning mentality and that’s half the battle.”
‘’I am well prepared,’’
‘’He has a fighting spirit. In view of the state of affairs of his shoulders and back, I think he will throw heavy punches. I think I feel rising tension.’’
’Rudy tells me I can go up to the one hundred and thirty division which is super-featherweight division and I believe so.’’
‘’Boxing is in my blood. The history, culture and mentality. Japanese fighters have an indomitable spirit, which I always heed. I will never give up.
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