MGM Grand Conference Center, Las Vegas - In a high stakes lightweight encounter, Masayoshi Nakatani (19-1, 13 KOs) overcame two knockdowns to scored two of his own to knock Felix Verdejo (21-2, 17 KOs) in the ninth round.
Verdejo came out jabbing to the body in the first round. A big right hand sent Nakatani down. Verdejo went for the kill and Nakatani was able to fight Verdejo off. In the second, Nakatani was using his jab to work his way in, while Verdejo was throwing hard combinations.
The right hand of Verdejo continued to land in the third. Nakatani was still trying to jab his way in to land punches. During the fourth, Nakatani was walking in and got clipped, which sent him down for a moment for a second knockdown. Verdejo continued to box as Nakatani was not really hurt. Nakatani did better during the fifth, as he was starting to avoid Verdejo's big punches while landing a right hand of his own.
Verdejo was outlanding Nakatani during the sixth. In the seventh, Verdejo was rocked by Nakatani. He went after Verdejo with a lot of punches, with the Puerto Rican boxer fighting him off and was able to weather the storm.
During the eight, Nakatani stunned Verdejo with a big shot and then a moment later it was Nakatani who got stunned for a moment. Nakatani was pressing the action and making Verdejo go backwards.
Verdejo got stunned again at the start of the ninth. Nakatani was going after him, was Verdejo's legs was unsteady. Verdejo was hit with a big shot and he went down nearly flat on his face. Nakatani then dropped him hard for a second time, face first, and the fight was waved off.