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There is no need for Junto Nakatani to send a message.
The unbeaten former three-division champ has perfectly positioned himself within one fight of a dream matchup with countryman Naoya Inoue. Japan’s top two fighters share this stage in separate bouts this Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Nakatani, 31-0 (24 KOs) will face Mexico’s Sebastian Hernandez, 20-0 (18 KOs) in his 122lbs debut. The 27-year-old southpaw moved up in weight after he unified the WBC and IBF titles at 118lbs – the 4lbs leap made to pursue a showdown with Inoue, 31-0 (27 KOs), who defends his undisputed junior featherweight championship against Alan David Picasso, 32-0-1 (17 KOs)
Wins by both will lead to an expected super fight next May at the famed Tokyo Dome.
“This fight is very important,” Nakatani told DAZN’s Corey Erdman during Tuesday’s grand arrival ceremony in at Boulevard Theater in Riyadh. “I want to show in this fight, that with victory I will be ready for the big one with Naoya Inoue.
“I don’t feel any pressure. I always enter every fight prepared to give it my all and be at my best.”
Nakatani is in the Fighter of the Year conversation, with knockout wins over David Cuellar and Ryosuke Nishida. The latter marked just the fourth-ever unification bout between reigning titleholders from Japan, which saw Nakatani prevail via technical knockout after six rounds.
It was known at the time that the fight would be his last at the weight, his 5ft, 8ins frame having rapidly outgrown bantamweight after blitzing through flyweight and junior bantamweight.
The six months between fights is his longest gap in nearly three years, having grown accustomed to fighting every 3-5 months even during his time as a major titleholder. The additional time, however, provided his team – headed by renowned cornerman Rudy Hernandez – with the opportunity to properly grow into a junior featherweight.
“I feel very good at this weight,” insisted Nakatani, though the real proof will come on Saturday. “I want to grow properly into this weight.”
Nakatani has stopped each of his last five opponents, all of which came in a perfect run at bantamweight. He’s gone the distance just twice in his past 14 fights, and was even instructed in his fight with Nishida to apply pressure from the opening bell and build towards the knockout.
Given the style, there is a chance of a similar strategy employed this weekend.
“If I feel it in the ring right away, I will fight as aggressively as I am instructed by my coach,” vowed Nakatani.
Jake Donovan is an award-winning journalist who served as a senior writer for BoxingScene from 2007-2024, and news editor for the final nine years of his first tour. He was also the lead writer for The Ring before his decision to return home. Follow Jake on X and Instagram.
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