JUNTO Nakatani unified the bantamweight division earlier today and, in doing so, has enhanced the boxing world’s appetite for an all-Japanese showdown with Naoya Inoue.
His sixth-round finish against Ryosuke Nishida arrived at the Ariake Colosseum in Tokyo, Japan, where Nakatani, 31-0 (24 KOs), came away from his dominant display with the WBC and IBF world titles at 118lbs.
The destructive stoppage materialised after Nishida, 10-1 (2 KOs), who had showcased a tidy skill set up to that point, was pulled out of their contest due to an eye injury.
As a result, his opponent earned himself arguably a career-best victory and, in turn, has cemented himself – in the eyes of most – as the leading operator to face super-bantamweight king Inoue.
Nakatani got off to a blistering start, almost lifting Nishida off his feet with a series of spearing right uppercuts at mid-range.
At the same time, though, Nishida sank in his fair share of body shots while remaining defensively responsible behind a tight guard.
Both southpaws had delivered a tremendous spell of flurries by the third round; at which point, Nakatani adopted a more measured approach to his initial all-action effort.
Some severe swelling – seemingly caused by the potent left hand of ‘Big Bang’ – then began to obscure Nishida’s vision in the fourth round.
The following frame only saw the 28-year-old’s injury worsen, his right eye almost closed completely, before Nakatani began to dish out a further, and more punishing, onslaught.
A beaming smile then appeared across the 27-year-old’s face before both fighters entered the sixth round, suggesting that Nishida’s efforts had done little to faze him.
With his opponent’s eye closed completely shut at the end of that round, though, an appropriate call made by the ringside doctor saw ultimately Nakatani claim an emphatic stoppage victory.
In attendance, of course, was none other than Inoue, and, when asked about a potential showdown, Nakatani simply maintained the same level of interest he has always expressed.
