Junto Nakatani was only marginally surprised when he got the call for his next assignment. (photo credit: Naoki Fukuda)
The unbeaten former two-division titlist outgrew junior bantamweight after a little more than a year but was curious about what awaited him at the next weight. His first fight after he previously vacated his WBO flyweight belt was a non-title win over former strawweight titleholder Francisco Rodriguez Jr. in November 2022.
It wasn’t until his next fight when Nakatani challenged for and won the WBO 115-pound belt in an emphatic twelfth-round knockout of Andrew Moloney last May 20 in Las Vegas. Just one defense followed before he eyed a run at bantamweight, where his first bout will come versus WBC title claimant Alexandro Santiago.
“I am very happy that I am able to immediately fight for my third division title,” Nakatani told BoxingScene.com. “I think this fight will be one of the key fights that will build up my career for the future.”
Santiago-Nakatani takes place as part of a three-title fight card on February 24 from the famed Ryogoku Kokukigan Arena in Tokyo. The show will air live on Amazon Prime-Japan and ESPN+ in the U.S.
The fight marks the first time Nakatani (26-0, 19KOs) will face a reigning titleholder. He fought for vacant titles both at flyweight and junior bantamweight, though he has beaten five former or future major titlists along the way.
Santiago (28-3-5, 14KOs) presents a new look for Nakatani. The visiting 28-year-old from Tijuana enters on the heels of his best career win, a lopsided twelve-round decision over former four-division champ Nonito Donaire in their vacant WBC bantamweight title fight last July 29 in Las Vegas.
“I am very motivated for this fight since this will be my first time going into at world championship bout as a challenger, fighting a world champion,” stated Nakatani.
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. X (formerly Twitter): @JakeNDaBox