The biggest fight in Japan this summer is locked in: Sunday, June 8 at Ariake Arena, Tokyo — starting at 8:00 p.m. local / 7:00 a.m. ET / 12:00 p.m. BST — live on ESPN+.
Two world champs. Two belts. One truth. No excuses.
Nakatani’s Ruthless Rise
Junto Nakatani (30-0, 23 KOs) is hunting legacy now.
Already a three-weight world champion, he’s been flattening contenders with chilling efficiency.
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Took the WBC bantamweight belt off Alexandro Santiago without breaking a sweat.
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Handed brutal defeats to Vincent Astrolabio and Petch Sor Chitpattana.
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Opened 2025 by detonating David Cuellar inside three rounds.
Every time out, Nakatani looks less like a man — more like a machine.
Nishida’s Silent Storm
Ryosuke Nishida (10-0, 2 KOs) is the opposite of loud.
He just wins.
Dominated Daigo Higa early in his career.
Outboxed Emmanuel Rodriguez for the IBF title when most thought he wasn’t ready.
Then backed it up with a demolition job against Anuchai Donsua in his first defense.
Nishida doesn’t go for highlight reels. He dismantles opponents with patience, precision, and complete self-belief.
Big Night for Tokyo
The undercard is real, too:
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Tenshin Nasukawa (6-0, 2 KOs) vs. Victor Santillan (14-1, 5 KOs) — Tenshin keeps trying to shake the “just a kicker” label.
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Tomoya Tsuboi (1-0, 1 KO) vs. Van Thao Tran (18-1, 10 KOs) — Asia Pacific title on the line, and it’s sink or swim for both.
Three fights. No fillers. Tokyo fans are eating good.
Stakes Are Simple
If Nakatani wins, he’s one step closer to monster fights at bantamweight — and maybe a monster fight with Naoya Inoue down the line.
If Nishida pulls it off, he blows up the world rankings and snatches massive respect in one night.
No middle ground.
Winner takes all the momentum.
Final Word
Bantamweights don’t always get the headlines, but the real ones know:
This is world-class stuff.
High stakes, real champions, no fake storylines needed.
Tokyo’s giving us a real fight, and if you love boxing, you’ll be tuned in — no excuses.
Wow, this article is super exciting! I can’t wait to see Nakatani fight. He’s such an amazing fighter, and I love his style. June 8 can’t come soon enough! Let’s go, Nakatani! 🎉
I totally agree with you, Redwards! Nakatani is like a machine in the ring. It’s so thrilling to watch him fight. I just hope he doesn’t underestimate Nishida because that could be a mistake!