Junto Nakatani, one of the best fighters in the world, defended his WBC bantamweight crown and remained on track for arguably the biggest fight in Japanese history against Naoyi Inoue after a sixth-round victory over Filipino Petch Sora Chitpattna.
The defending champion from Sagamihara, Kanagawa, won his third quick victory in 2024 and improved his record to 29-0 (22 KO).
The challenger dropped to 76-2 (53 KO).
Both started conservatively, but Chitpattna trembled after bowling left-handed in the first over. Nakatani, often with his hands down, carefully assessed what was in front of him.
In the second second, he also switched Chitpattna to his left arm and stayed away from Chitpattna’s shots.
Nakatani picked up the pace in the third quarter but remained patient and moved well, with Chitpattna often only making contact in the air or on Nakatani’s shoulders.
Junto landed two brief right hooks and a right hand in the fourth, followed moments later by a long left hand.
Chitpattna stubbornly pressed forward in the fifth and sixth periods, gritted his teeth and fired with both hands, but Nakatani was the cleaner and hit Chitpattna with solid punches.
Midway through the sixth puck, Nakatani stunned Chitpattna with a thunderous straight left arm, and the dazed challenger was overwhelmed and floored by subsequent punches.
Chitpattna bravely tried to counterattack, Nakatani again looked to land a large left, he swung and missed dramatically once, but he succeeded in the final moments of the round and Chitpattna hit the deck, fell on his back and the fight was waved off at 2:59 of the sixth .
The fighter ran into the ring at Tokyo’s Ariake Arena and looked relaxed, but the 77-fight veteran – who apparently has the same number of nicknames – was ultimately added to Nakatani’s top knockouts.
Chitpattna was the No. 1 contender in the WBC, but two of his last three fights have been six-rounders, and the only recognizable name on his record is Takuma Inoue, who in 2018 defeated Chitpattna on points over 12 rounds in his only other fight other than Philippines.
It was Nakatani’s third victory this year, following a sixth-round victory over Alexandro Santiago and a first-round stoppage of Vincent Astrolabio.
In the bantamweight division, Tenshin Nasukawa of Tokyo improved to 5-0 (1 KO) with a 10-round decision over Gerwin Asilo of Bohol, Philippines, who is now 9-1 (4 KO).
Nasukawa won my advantage 97-92 and 98-91 (twice).
For Nasukawa, a southpaw who did most of his work without the jab, it was a steady job, whether he was bowling singles, doubles or coming in for them.
Nasukawa also scored with a left to the body and led with a right hook throughout the fifth round, although he countered with a right for his troubles.
Overall, Asilo was too passive. He was knocked off balance and dropped on the ninth kick, although Nasukawa suffered a cut to his left eye on the final headbutt.
Nasukawa, a former kickboxer who took part in a bizarre boxing exhibition with Floyd Mayweather five years ago, was nonetheless in great control and won the WBO Asia-Pacific bantamweight title.
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October 14, 2024 at 5:30 pm
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