Junto Nakatani, Vincent Astrolabio Make Weight; Jonathan Rodriguez Well Over Limit Versus Kosei Tanaka
Junto Nakatani (right) and Vincent Astrolabio pose with WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman ahead of their July 20 bantamweight title fight in Tokyo. Photo credit: Naoki Fukuda
Five of the six who participated in the title fight did their work on the scale.
Junto Nakatani will make the first defense of his WBC bantamweight title. The 26-year-old southpaw was 117 ¼ pounds, while mandatory challenger Vincent Astrolabio was 117 ½ pounds.
Their 12-round bout headlines Saturday’s tripleheader title fight at the prestigious Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo.
Nakatani (27-0, 20 knockouts) is The Ring’s No. 1 ranked bantamweight and No. 10 pound-for-pound fighter. He was ranked third after a sixth-round knockout of Alexandro Santiago (28-4-5, 14 KOs) on Feb. 24 in this same place.
Astrolabio (19-4, 14 KOs) is making his second attempt at a major belt. The 27-year-old from General Santos City, Philippines fell short against Jason Moloney (27-3, 19 KOs) last May in Stockton, California. He also got into the mix with 11th round stoppage of Nawaphon Khaikanha (60-4-1, 50 KOs) last Aug. 26 in Bangkok. Their fight was for the WBC title, making Astrolabio a mandatory challenger for Nakatani’s belt.
Jonathan Rodriguez’s hopes of a second title ended on Friday at the weigh-in.
His fight against WBO 115-pounder Kosei Tanaka (20-1, 11 KOs) is yet to go forward. Rodriguez (25-2-1, 17 KOs), No. 9 at 115, he spectacularly failed to make weight. The 29-year-old from San Luis Potosi weighed 121 ¾ pounds, about seven pounds over the limit.
Tanaka (20-1, 11 KOs) weighed 114.9 pounds in the first try. The 29-year-old from Nagoya was ranked four in a 12-round victory over Christian Bacasegua. Their fight took place on the February 24 Nakatani-Santiago card. Tanaka, ranked No. 4 at 115, also won belts at strawweight, junior flyweight and flyweight.
Riku Kano and Anthony Olascuaga were both under the 112-pound flyweight limit in their vacant WBO fight.
Hyogo’s Kano (22-4-2, 11 KOs) was 111 ¾ pounds before his first career title bid. The 26-year-old southpaw is undefeated in his last ten matches leading up to this point.
Olascuaga (6-1, 4 KOs) aims to win his first belt in his second title fight. The 25-year-old from Los Angeles weighed 111 ¼ pounds in the event.
His previous effort came in a ninth-round knockout of Ring/WBC/WBA 108-pound Kenshiro Teraji (23-1, 14 KOs) last April 8. He returned to the top with a knockout of Giemel Magmo last September 23. Both fights were held at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo.
Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez (20-0, 13 KOs) previously held the WBO 115-pound title. He left that belt and the IBF title and went back to 115, where he was the Ring/WBC champion.
All three title fights will air live on ESPN+, starting at 5:00 am ET/2:00 am PT.
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