The vibrant Japanese boxing scene will showcase its talent on July 20 with a major event at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo. The headliner features three-weight world champion Junto Nakatani defending his WBC bantamweight title against mandatory challenger Vincent Astrolabio. The evening will also include two additional world title fights and a special attraction bout.
Main Event: Junto Nakatani vs. Vincent Astrolabio
Junto Nakatani (27-0, 20 KOs), the WBC bantamweight champion, will take on Vincent Astrolabio in the main event. Nakatani, ranked No. 1 at bantamweight and No. 10 pound-for-pound by The Ring, has an impressive record of victories, including wins over future junior flyweight titleholder Masamichi Yabuki and former 108-pound champion Milan Melindo. After the pandemic slowed his progress, he captured the vacant WBO flyweight title against Giemel Magramo and later defended it successfully, including a notable stoppage of former titleholder Angel Acosta.
Astrolabio (19-4, 14 KOs), ranked No. 7 by The Ring at bantamweight, has experienced a mixed career, initially fighting mainly in the Philippines. He gained recognition with a win over Guillermo Rigondeaux and followed it up with a knockout of Nikolai Potapov. Despite a loss to Andrew Moloney for the WBO title, he earned his shot at Nakatani by defeating Nawaphon Sor Rungvisai in a title eliminator.
Co-Main Event: Kosei Tanaka vs. Jonathan Rodriguez
Four-weight world champion Kosei Tanaka (20-1, 11 KOs) will defend his WBO junior bantamweight title against Jonathan Rodriguez. Tanaka, ranked No. 3 by The Ring at junior bantamweight, has an illustrious career with titles in four weight classes. Despite a setback against Kazuto Ioka, Tanaka has rebounded and captured the WBO junior bantamweight title by defeating Christian Bacasegua.
Rodriguez (25-2-1, 17 KOs), ranked No. 9 by The Ring at junior bantamweight, has shown resilience in his career, bouncing back from losses to notable fighters like Jerwin Ancajas. His recent performances include a draw with four-time world title challenger Israel Gonzalez and victories over former challengers.
WBO Flyweight Title: Riku Kano vs. Anthony Olascuaga
Riku Kano (22-4-2, 11 KOs) and Anthony Olascuaga will vie for the vacant WBO flyweight title. Kano, who turned professional at 16, has fought internationally and won a WBO regional title. Despite setbacks against seasoned fighters, he remains a strong contender at 112 pounds.
Olascuaga (6-1, 4 KOs), who turned pro in 2020, quickly made a name for himself by defeating former world title challengers. Although he lost to Kenshiro Teraji in a title fight, he bounced back with a notable stoppage of Giemel Magramo.
Special Attraction: Tenshin Nasukawa vs. Jonathan Rodriguez
In a special attraction, popular bantamweight Tenshin Nasukawa will continue his boxing journey against Jonathan Rodriguez in a scheduled 10-round bout. Nasukawa (3-0, 1 KO), a former kickboxing and MMA star, transitioned to boxing in April 2023 and has won all three of his matches.
Rodriguez (17-2-1, 7 KOs), a Puerto Rican fighter based in Bethlehem, PA, has gained attention with wins over experienced opponents and a notable first-round knockout of former WBA 115-pound champion Kal Yafai. Despite a recent loss to Antonio Vargas, Rodriguez remains a formidable opponent.
This exciting event, broadcast live on ESPN+, promises to continue the rich tradition of Japanese boxing excellence and provide fans with high-stakes, competitive matchups.