THE RESULT: Junto Nakatani showed impressive patience and poise for the first five rounds of his debut at bantamweight. In round six, he exploded, dropping Alexandro Santiago twice to win the WBC belt in Tokyo, Japan. Referee Laurence Cole called off the fight one minute and 12 seconds into round six.
KEY MOMENTS: Nakatani dominated the fight with his size and ability to control the distance. In round six, he unleashed a stiff left cross that knocked Santiago down for the first time. Shortly after, a right hook sent Santiago to the canvas again, sealing Nakatani’s victory.
RECORDS: Nakatani, 26, remains undefeated at 27-0 (20), while Santiago, 28, now stands at 28-4-5 (8).
TALKING POINT: Nakatani becomes a world champion in his third weight class with the WBC bantamweight title. His previous titles were in the super-flyweight and flyweight divisions. It will be interesting to see how Nakatani fares in bantamweight with his unique southpaw style.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT: Winning the WBC belt opens up opportunities for Nakatani to face bigger names in the bantamweight division. Potential future opponents include Jason Moloney, the current WBO bantamweight champion, and the Inoue brothers. Exciting matchups await Nakatani in his new weight class.