Junto Nakatani celebrates profitable his third world title in a 3rd weight class after stopping battle-tested Alejandro Santiago. Photograph by Naoki Fukuda / High Rank
Junto Nakatani is a nasty, unhealthy man.
In his third battle at 118 kilos, the WBC bantamweight titleholder proved to be too sturdy, too highly effective and just too intelligent for Thai veteran Tasana Salapat (AKA Petch CP Freshmart) of their all-southpaw battle on the Ariake Enviornment in Tokyo, Japan on Monday night time.
Salapat, a veteran of 77 fights with only one loss on his ledger, had by no means beforehand been stopped. That modified tonight when he was stopped in six rounds by Nakatani, at the moment rated at No. 9 by The Ring at pound-for-pound.
In his first battle overseas, the 30-year-old Salapat knew he was in for a battle from the opening bell when a sweeping left cross from Nakatani buckled his legs within the opening body.
Like most Thais, Salapat was robust and decided. He pressed the motion and tried to tug Nakatani right into a firefight. However the rangy five-foot-eight Japanese boxer saved him at vary, encouraging him to return ahead in order that he might stroll him into counter pictures.
A left-hand counter from Nakatani within the second spherical gave Salapat a style of what was to return.
Nakatani dictated the tempo from vary, upping the tempo spherical after spherical as he made the Thai attain whereas seeking to land a killer blow.
Sensing he was behind, Salapat lifted his work price within the fourth. That was fantastic in concept, however it solely opened up alternatives for Nakatani to land his personal arduous countershots. The titleholder remained composed and economical beneath the incoming hearth, choosing off his opponent at will.
Issues opened up within the fifth with each boxers exchanging on the within. Salapat was the busier of the 2, however the heavier blows got here from the Rudy Hernandez-trained Nakatani, who confirmed nice protection to roll beneath incoming hearth and shoot again with arduous pictures of his personal.
Within the sixth, Salapat got here out firing. Nakatani stood his floor and weathered the storm. A two-fisted salvo from the champion bludgeoned the challenger to the canvas. Salapat beat the rely, however was solely a matter of time.
A crunching left cross to the jaw crumpled the Thai to the canvas simply earlier than the bell. Referee Laurence Cole referred to as a halt to the competition with only one second left within the spherical.
It was one other dominant victory for Nakatani, who proved as soon as once more why he’s rated at No.1 by The Ring at bantamweight.
The victory sees Nakatani elevate his document to 29-0 with 22 knockouts. Salapat drops to 76-2 with 53 knockouts.
Within the semi-main occasion, ex-kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa continued his unbeaten run beneath the Queensberry Guidelines.
Nasukawa, 26, was largely untroubled by 23-year-old Filipino Gerwin Asilo of their 10-round bantamweight bout. The Japanese southpaw suffered a small minimize over the left eyebrow however in any other case cruised to victory in his 97-92, 98-91 and 98-91 win.
The always-popular Nasukawa lifts his ledger to 5-0 with two knockouts, whereas Asilo sees the primary blemish on his resume, falling to 9-1 with 4 knockouts.
