Junto Nakatani, Japan’s own left-handed powerhouse, decided not to waste too much time Saturday night. Why drag things out when you can wrap up work early? So, in his first title defense, Nakatani treated his fans at the Ryogoku Sumo Arena to a blink-and-you-miss-it show. He landed a punch with surgical precision to Vincent Astrolabio’s solar plexus, knocking him down at 2:37 of the very first round.
The 8,000 spectators barely had time to settle into their seats before Astrolabio hit the deck, writhing in pain—a sight so dramatic, it could’ve sold tickets on its own. This swift 157-second demolition not only spared everyone a long night but also skyrocketed Nakatani’s stock in the boxing world.
Tenshin Nasukawa, Japan’s latest boxing sensation and master of destruction, decided to cut short his day at the office. Only four fights into his pro career, Nasukawa turned what was supposed to be a competitive ten-round tango into a brief exhibition of his destructive capabilities. He packed up Jonathan Rodriguez with a barrage of southpaw combos, finishing the job at 1:49 of the third round, effectively turning a scheduled slog into a quick demo reel.
Rodriguez, who once thought he’d made it big by knocking out ex-champ Khalid Yafai last November, got a taste of karma this time around. By the bell of the second round, it was clear he was just treading water, barely clinging on as Nasukawa, with surgical precision, lined him up for the knockout.
And oh, the knockout did come. In the third, Nasukawa—whose kickboxing resume reads a perfect 42-0—unleashed a flurry of lethal lefts, turning Rodriguez into just another step on his path to greatness. The hit parade was so brutal that the referee had to jump in, saving Rodriguez from further embarrassment by calling it quits. Rodriguez hit the deck, and the fight was waved off—another day, another knockout for Nasukawa, who might as well have been hitting a heavy bag.
In their contest for the vacant WBO World Flyweight title, Anthony Olascuaga (7-1) was able to right the wrongs of his previous title outing.
Anthony Olascuaga, in his eighth professional bout and his second attempt, became the WBO World Flyweight champion, utterly slicing through Riku Kano (22-5-2) in the third round.
Initially a rather competitive affair, Olascuaga was clearly the hard-hitter of the two, whilst Kano was the more precise counter-puncher, often finding success wherever Olascuaga would leave a gap.
Olascuaga certainly improved upon his sole loss – a late replacement against Kenshiro Teraji (23-1) – as his variation was superior to his Japanese competitor, who was getting tagged with a multitude of shots as he made his way into the pocket.
In the third, it initially seemed that Kano was taking the pace, often making Olascuaga miss. As the round was beginning to close out, Olascuaga caught Kano clean, sending the more experienced fighter to the ground. He was sliced through completely; despite his best efforts, he was waived off.
From the world title ranks to the debutants, Japan provided.
Issei Aramoto (1-0) had a successful debut under the Teiken Promotions banner, transferring his amateur aptitude to the professional ranks with only minimal difficulty.
His opponent, the Mongolian Mongontsooj Nandinerdene (2-2-1), only found success in the first round, thanks to a combination of a busy work-rate and Aramoto’s debut nervousness. With the debutante finding confidence moving into the second, Nandinerdene would simultaneously begin to lose his shape; the fouling and rough-housing would begin here.
Certainly, it was an interesting first test for the prodigious amateur, with Nandinerdene being unorthodox and heavily reliant on laboured and slappy shots, in conjunction with holding.
Aramoto was also finding success with driving body-work, whilst also thumping uppercuts and hooks into his 37-year-old foe. Despite Nandinerdene being visibly tired and heaving, Aramoto had yet to develop the instincts necessary to finish the job; something that will come with time and development, particularly under Teiken Promotions.
The fifth was interesting, as Nandinerdene proved that – at least up-close – he could be effective, but the shape and form of Aramoto was overbearing. A low-blow clouded matters, although Nandinerdene was clearly hurting before the blow. The time-out certainly provided Aramoto with urgency, with all his lefts finding a home.
Continued lefts would stagger Nandinerdene entering the final round; a round that the elder would not escape. Despite being tangled up early on, a single shot would send Nandinerdene hurtling to the canvas.
Certainly, Aramoto promises to be a firm fixture of Teiken cards, henceforth.
