Junto Nakatani TKOs Alexandro Santiago for WBC bantamweight title،
Junto Nakatani scored a sixth-round TKO victory over Alexandro Santiago on Saturday in Tokyo to become the WBC bantamweight champion, his third division title.
The Japanese Nakatani (27-0, 20 KO) beat Santiago with a left right in the sixth round. Moments later, a flawless right hook sent the Mexican back to the canvas as Santiago's corner quickly stopped the one-sided action at 1 minute and 12 seconds. .
Nakatani, 26, won every round on all three scorecards.
“I can’t wait for everyone to watch me fight at bantamweight from now on,” said Nakatani, who trains in Los Angeles.
He entered the fight ranked No. 4 at 115 pounds by ESPN; this was Nakatani's first fight at 118 pounds. And even in another weight class, Nakatani still possessed considerable advantages in size and reach.
At 5-foot-8 with a reach of 67 inches, Nakatani was capable of boxing from the outside, using his active southpaw jab to control the action. He peppered Santiago with clean left hands from a distance and hit the champion around both eyes.
Santiago (28-4-5, 14 KO) entered the ring coming off his career-best performance, a unanimous decision win over future Hall of Famer Nonito Donaire in July. This victory allowed Santiago to win his first world title and 4th place in the ESPN bantamweight rankings.
But against Nakatani, Santiago was not up to the task. Every time the 28-year-old Mexican tried to get close, Nakatani met him with jabs and uppercuts that countered the champion's attack. Santiago, at 5 feet 3 inches, gave up five inches in height.
He had won four fights since a majority decision loss in November 2021 to Gary Antonio Russell.
Nakatani is one of the most dynamic boxers in the sport. His 12th round knockout victory over Andrew Moloney in May was named ESPN's KO of the Year. The victory gave Nakatani the WBO title at 115 pounds, a belt he successfully defended in September via decision over Argi Cortes.
Nakatani also won a title at 112 pounds.
Takuma Inoue retains his title
Takuma Inoue, the younger brother of Japanese star Naoya Inoue, retained his WBA bantamweight title with a ninth-round knockout victory over Jerwin Ancajas in the main event.
Inoue (19-1, 5 KOs) delivered a right uppercut to the body of Ancajas who dropped the challenger for the count for 10 at 44 seconds of Round 9.
Inoue, 28, was defending for the first time the 118-pound title he won in April with a decision victory over Liborio Solis. Inoue is ESPN's No. 2 bantamweight. His brother, Naoya Inoue, is ESPN's No. 2 pound-for-pound boxer and undisputed junior featherweight champion.
Ancajas (34-4-2, 23 KO) is a former 115-pound champion who has now lost three of his last four fights. The other two losses came against Fernando Martinez in junior bantamweight title fights in 2022.
The 32-year-old Filipino entered the fight ranked No. 8 by ESPN at bantamweight.
