Teiken Promotions and M.T Boxing Gym have come to an agreement with Top Rank to co-promote Japanese pound-for-pound star, three-division king, and reigning WBC bantamweight world champion Junto Nakatani.
Nakatani, who trains in Los Angeles with Rudy Hernandez, is expected to make his ring return before the end of the year.
The 26-year-old Nakatani (28-0, 21 KOs), from Sagamihara, Japan, defended his title last Saturday with a first-round stoppage over Vincent Astrolabio to improve to 7-0 in world title fights.
“Junto Nakatani is an exceptional, unique talent,” said Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum. “He is a force of nature and one of the sport’s most vicious punchers. The Junto Nakatani Era is just starting. He will be the pound-for-pound king one day, and I am thrilled that he’s decided to join the Top Rank stable.”
Nakatani said, “Thank you to Bob Arum and everyone at Top Rank. This is a significant moment in my career, and I want to continue giving boxing fans great fights.”
Can you say, one less obstacle to fight inoue!
Who is going to be the next sacrifice lamb? I hope Nonito Donaire will stay away from Nakatani.
I also hope Nonito Donaire stays away from Nakatani and just retires and sail into the IBHOF as a first ballot HOFer. He has nothing left to prove.
Since he already got Andrew, maybe Nakatani gets to be the first to beat both Moloney brothers and gets Jason next.
Bring on the younger Inoue in a unification bout. I don’t think Inoue has the power to deal with Nakatani, but Takuma has been sitting on his punches more in his recent fights. It would serve as a great appetizer for when Nakatani moves up and fights Nayoa, or it is a great distinguishing fight that brings the Inoue brothers into the fold as a pair of great fighters on par with Rafael and Juan Manuel Marquez