Junto Nakatani will put his perfect record on the line in a high-stakes bantamweight unification bout against fellow unbeaten champion Ryosuke Nishida on June 8 at Ariake Coliseum in Tokyo.
The 30-0 WBC champion Nakatani, known for his knockout power with 23 KOs, looks to add the IBF belt to his collection against the technically skilled Nishida (10-0).
"I always wanted a unification fight and knew that once I could defeat Cuellar, I could pursue it," Nakatani explained. "I'm very grateful and motivated by this unification. This opportunity is in front of me now, and it's up to me to make the most of it."
Interestingly, Nakatani's impressive record makes him a favorite, but Nishida's rapid rise to world champion status shouldn't be overlooked. The 28-year-old captured the IBF title against Emmanuel Rodriguez in 2024 and has successfully defended it once, despite having only two career knockouts.
A win for Nakatani could potentially set up an even bigger clash with Japanese superstar Naoya Inoue down the line. But first things first - he needs to handle business against his fellow countryman.
The undercard features some intriguing matchups. Tenshin Nasukawa, the former kickboxing star who famously faced Floyd Mayweather in an exhibition, continues his legitimate boxing career against Victor Santillan. Nasukawa comes in with momentum after defeating former world champion Jason Moloney in February.
Also on the card, Tomoya Tsuboi, a 2021 World Championships gold medalist, takes on Vietnam's first boxing gold medalist Van Thao Tran in what should be an interesting clash of styles.
Rounding out the action, knockout artist Riku Masuda (7-1) faces veteran Michell Banquez (23-5) in another bantamweight contest. Masuda has won his last four fights, all by knockout. Can he continue his finishing streak against the experienced Banquez?
The event streams live on ESPN+ with the broadcast beginning at 4:30 a.m. ET, and the main event expected around 7:30 a.m. ET. Not exactly prime viewing hours for American fans, but when have boxing diehards ever let time zones get in the way?
