Junto Nakatani Scores One-Punch 1st Knockout Of Vincent Astrolabio, Defends WBC 118-Pound Title

Junto Nakatani continues to build his case as a pound-for-pound talent.

The latest showcase given the three-tier list was first-rounder Vincent Astrolabio of the Philippines. A straight left hand to the body put Astrolabio down to end the fight at 2:37 of the first round on Saturday at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo.

With the win, Nakatani (28-0, 21 knockouts) defended his first WBC bantamweight title.

“I thought this was going to be a long fight,” Nakatani admitted through translator Mizuka Koike. “Fortunately, I quickly got that punch to end the fight.”

It was a good idea for the 26-year-old from Kanagawa, Japan. Astrolabio (19-6, 14 KOs) has only been stopped once in his career and is usually built to stay.

The visiting Filipino, ranked No. 7 at 118 by The Ring, gave Jason Moloney (27-3, 19 KOs) everything he could handle in a WBO title fight last May in Stockton, California. Moloney, ranked No. 6 at 118, won by majority decision, but Astrolabio quickly got back into the title picture.

Nakatani won the WBC 118-pound title in the sixth round of Alexandro Santiago on Feb. 24 at Ariake Arena in Tokyo. He quickly became The Ring’s No. 1 bantamweight and is also the No. 10 pounds per pound.

At least until the next ratings update.

Nakatani, a 5’8″ southpaw, caused a stylistic imbalance in his opponents through three weight classes. He used his height and good reach to keep the 5’5″ Astrolabio at his desired punching distance.

Astrolabio enjoyed brief success with the right hand early in the war. Nakatani relied on his long jab to fend off his aggressive opponent. He also placed enough left hands to keep him honest and plan his next move.

Then the end came suddenly.

Nakatani lands an Astrolabio near the ropes before connecting with a straight left just above the beltline. The Astrolabio paused before sinking into the sail. Referee Thomas Taylor issued the mandatory 8 count and was ready to let the fight continue. That changed when the Astrolabio went down on the deck, causing it to be stopped immediately.

The win increased Nakatani’s record to 7-0 (6 KOs) in title fights at flyweight, junior bantamweight and bantamweight. Argi Cortes (26-4-2, 10 KOs) is the only boxer to go the distance with Nakatani in a major title fight.

Astrolabio is now 0-2 in major title fights, with both coming within his last three fights.

Next on the red-hot rising star’s agenda is the assembly line, which he hopes will be easy to make. All four major bantamweight divisions reside in Japan and represent The Ring’s top four in weight. Ryosuke Nishida (9-0, 1 KO; No. 2 at 118) holds the IBF belt. Takuma Inoue (20-1, 5 KOs; No. 3) holds the WBA title. Yoshiki Takei (9-0, 8 KOs; No. 4) unseated Moloney in May to win the WBO belt.

In a perfect world, Nakatani would team Nishida for the new RING title. He could also face Inoue before or after that fight, which could create a dream scenario—a tough fight with Naoya Inoue (27-0, 24 KOs), Takuma’s older brother and RING/122-pound champion.

“I would like to combine the titles or go higher [122] to win the title there,” said Nakatani. “The fight against [Naoya] Inoue is what I really want. Many people are really looking forward to this fight. I will continue to be strong and I will be ready for that fight.”

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