Junto Nakatani made a profitable first defence of his WBC bantamweight title – and a big assertion – by stopping Vincent Astrolabio within the opening spherical.
On paper, it appeared like Nakatani, 28-0 (21 KOs), could be given a couple of rounds’ work by the Filipino however the three-weight world champion had a simple night time.
Astrolabi, 19-5 (14 KOs), outpointed an previous Guillermo Rigondeaux in 2022 and pushed the gifted Jason Maloney earlier than shedding a majority choice in a vacant WBO title struggle in Could 2023. He had completely no reply for Nakatani, nevertheless, and was stopped by a single left hand to the pit of the abdomen within the very first spherical.
The Japanese southpaw barely wanted to get out of first gear. Whereas the robust wanting Astrolabio took the centre of the ring and stored a decent, excessive guard, the rangy Nakatani skirted across the ring, probing along with his jab and letting his left hand go often.
With the spherical drawing to a detailed, he threw a jab in the direction of Astroabio’s head, the Filipino, 27, raised his guard to dam it – and Nakatani fired in a straight left to the mid-section. it was a easy entice, executed completely.
Astrolabio dropped to his knees and although he tried to get to his toes, he rapidly dropped again to the canvas. The time of the stoppage was recorded at two minutes and 37 seconds of the very first spherical.
Nakatani, 26, stays undefeated and although some will query he high quality of the opposition, the way in which that he handled Astrolabio solidified his repute as among the finest fighters on the earth.
Tenshin Nasukawa, 4-0 (2 KO) is finest identified for rapidly shedding an exhibition to Floyd Mayweather Jr in 2018 however the 25 year-old is intent on altering the notion that exists of him.
Nasukawa was an exceptional kickboxer who can be undefeated in MMA. He’s more and more targeted on establishing himself as a top-level tremendous bantamweight and took a giant step up in competitors towards Puerto Rico’s Jonathan Rodriguez, 17-3-1 (7 KOs), who stopped Britain’s former tremendous flyweight champion Kal Yafai in 2023 and is ranked at quantity 4 by the WBA.
Conscious that he couldn’t match Nasukawa for pace and never desirous to over commit and go away gaps for the colorful Japanese fighter to take advantage of, Rodriguez felt his means into the struggle. Nasukawa was content material to take his time and he feinted, edged backwards and appeared to counter along with his southpaw left hand.
Instantly, because the second spherical drew to a detailed, Nasukawa exploded. He stepped right into a left hand that landed cleanly on Rodriguez’s chin. his legs stiffened, and the ball sounded as he sagged into the the ropes.
Nasukawa capitalised on his success within the third. When the second offered itself, the 25 12 months previous landed one other left hand that harm Rodriguez and he adopted it up with laborious, correct pictures to go and physique to drop the Puerto Rican. Rodriguez bought to his really feel and appeared able to persevering with however the referee Michael Someya determined to cease the struggle. The official time was one minute and 49 seconds of the third spherical.
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