Masayoshi Nakatani
Division: lightweight
Nationality: Japan
Hometown: Osaka, Osaka, Japan
Birth Date: 1989-03-08
Height: 6 cm
Reach: 71 cm
Stance: orthodox
Professional Record
20
Wins
(14 by KO)3
Losses
(2 by KO)0
Draws
23
Total Fights
Biography
Masayoshi Nakatani was born on March 8, 1989, in Osaka, Japan. Like many prominent Japanese boxers, Nakatani traditionally aimed for the top of worldwide rankings and sought the toughest opponents in each bout. Nakatani made his professional boxing debut at the age of 22 in 2011. Although he has not won a major world title, Nakatani has some intriguing stats, including a professional KO rate of 59.1%, with two first-round wins. He secured 18 consecutive victories, even obtaining the OPBF lightweight title and successfully defending it 11 times. He also tested his fighting honor by challenging future Japanese and boxing hall of famers, former two-weight world champion Teofimo Lopez, former three-weight world champion Vasiliy Anatolyevich Lomachenko, and Japanese superstar Shuichiro Yoshino, which happened to be his only three losses. Despite consistently headlining major cards, Nakatani's samurai-like devotion to his craft and support of Japan demonstrate his ability to bounce back from adversity.
Technical Overview
Masayoshi Nakatani employs a pawing jab to find his range, set the distance, and control the tempo. Despite his lanky frame, he's extremely explosive, as seen with his jab, where he can cover the canvas quickly to reach his opponent. Once he has the range, he can unleash lightning-fast hooks and right hands, complemented by a fantastic head movement that allows him to keep his hands down a bit and counterpunch effectively.
His footwork is fundamental but effective. With stomping stutter steps and feints, he can force his opponents to be cautious or lead them into traps of violent jabs and counterpunching, ultimately cornering his opponent. Nakatani's fighting spirit is notable, as he remains resilient even against great fighters like Teo Lopez and Vasiliy Lomachenko, rallying after taking some of the most technical and hard-hitting combinations when most fighters and cornermen would consider quitting. His granite chin and mental toughness allow him to leverage his physical gifts, such as his towering height in the lightweight division at 6'0", to escape trouble, tie up his opponents when hurt, or counter with precision.
Fight History
11/01/22 vs. Shuichiro Yoshino, L-KO, 6/12
06/13/22 vs. Harmonito Dela Torre, W-KO, 1/10
06/26/21 vs. Vasiliy Lomachenko, L-TKO, 9/12
12/12/20 vs. Felix Verdejo, W-TKO, 9/10
07/19/19 vs. Teofimo Lopez, L-UD, 12/12
12/09/18 vs. Hurricane Futa, W-TKO, 4/12
07/29/18 vs. Izuki Tomioka, W-TKO, 11/12
02/24/18 vs. Amphol Suriyo, W-KO, 6/12
09/03/17 vs. Ryan Sermona, W-TKO, 4/12
04/09/17 vs. Krai Setthaphon, W-UD, 12/12
11/11/16 vs. Allan Tanada, W-TKO, 7/12
04/17/16 vs. Tosho Makoto Aoki, W-TKO, 1/12
08/28/15 vs. Kazuya Murata, W-RTD, 5/12
04/05/15 vs. Accel Sumiyoshi, W-UD, 12/12
10/28/14 vs. Futoshi Usami, W-UD, 12/12
05/07/14 vs. Ricky Sismundo, W-UD, 12/12
01/11/14 vs. Yoshitaka Kato, W-MD, 12/12
07/25/13 vs. Shuhei Tsuchiya, W-KO, 3/8
04/26/13 vs. Weerayuth Patangwesang, W-KO, 2/8
08/12/12 vs. Ronnel Esparas, W-KO, 1/8
03/20/12 vs. Roel Laguna, W-TKO, 5/6
10/02/11 vs. Tetsuto Sebiyo Tonomura, W-UD, 6/6
06/12/11 vs. Katsuhisa Shiokawa, W-TKO, 4/4
