Unbeaten WBC bantamweight champion Junto Nakatani is set to defend his title for the first time on July 20 at Tokyo’s Ariake Arena against top-ranked contender Vincent Astrolabio.
Nakatani, a three-division champion from Japan, has amassed an impressive 27-0 record with 20 knockouts. His recent victories include a knockout of Andrew Moloney and a sixth-round TKO over Alexander Santiago, which earned him the bantamweight belt in February.
Astrolabio, hailing from the Philippines and promoted by Manny Pacquiao, has a record of 19-4 with 14 knockouts. He gained attention by defeating two-time Olympic gold medalist Guillermo Rigondeaux via a knockdown-assisted unanimous decision in 2022. Despite a subsequent majority decision loss to then-WBO bantamweight champion Jason Moloney, Astrolabio bounced back with an 11th-round TKO victory over veteran Navapon Khaikanha in an August eliminator.
Manager Sean Gibbons expressed confidence in Astrolabio's heavy-handed approach and his potential to win the WBC title. Gibbons emphasized the learning experience from Astrolabio's first title shot and noted that winning the WBC title could position Astrolabio for future high-profile bouts, including a possible clash with undisputed super-bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue.
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