Comments Thread For: Alexandro Santiago-Junto Nakatani Tops February 24 Title Fight Tripleheader In Tokyo

[BIGPOPPAPUMP]

Junto Nakatani will not waste any time in his bid to become a three-division titlist. The rail thin WBO junior bantamweight titlist is off to bantamweight, where he will challenge reigning WBC title holder Alexandro Santiago. Their intriguing matchup is confirmed to headline a February 24 title fight tripleheader on Amazon Prime-Japan from the famed Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan.
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[Elheath]

Had rumors swirling but finally an official date confirmed is always nice.

Saturday February 24th is also a three day holiday for Japan (Emperor's birthday) so this is gonna be juicy for boxing fans in Japan...

[Regge]

Wish this was in the states not a fan of all these Japanese fighters mostly just fighting at home. Already an uphill battle for Santiago.

[Elheath]

Wish this was in the states not a fan of all these Japanese fighters mostly just fighting at home. Already an uphill battle for Santiago.

It all comes down to money these days in boxing, and although on a much lower scale (pun intended) that rule applies for the lower weight too.

Due to Inoue, among the casuals currently Japan is becoming the mecca of the light weight divisions financially and for the pacific islanders it is very close to home so works for them too.

[crimsonfalcon07]

Nice card.

If other places want to get in on the action hosting the lighter weight championships, they need to pay like Japan does. When is the US or Mexico going to front the cash? Idiots. Fighters go where the money is, and for the lighter weights, that's Japan. They're prize fighters, FFS. You don't like it, win a purse bid to host the fight yourself. Sounds like racism.

[Elheath]

Nice card.

If other places want to get in on the action hosting the lighter weight championships, they need to pay like Japan does. When is the US or Mexico going to front the cash? Idiots. Fighters go where the money is, and for the lighter weights, that's Japan. They're prize fighters, FFS. You don't like it, win a purse bid to host the fight yourself. Sounds like racism.

Irony is that if the trend continue, there is a slight chance that in so many years people might complain on why the heavyweight champions almost never fight in US and only in Saudi. Either that or heavyweight boxing dies in popularity in US.

By the way, both this card and the January card is very well structured to lure the interest of casuals along with satisfy the core fans. This one is promoted as a triple world title match which is easy to sell to casuals, and has arguably the second best Japanese active boxer right now in Nakatani (but not a very notable name among casuals), Tanaka who is tied with Loma for fastest three division champion going to break DLH's record for fastest four division champion with the win, then Takuma who has the least lure for hardcore fans but gets great media attention and can bring in the most casuals by being the brother of Naoya.

The one in January has Teraji as the top 108 champion, supported by Akui as the title challenger, and instead of Takuma they got Tenshin who in sheer terms of media and casual name popularity is arguably second after Naoya. Despite not a world title match, it will be a huge selling point.

[ShoulderRoll]

Nice card.

If other places want to get in on the action hosting the lighter weight championships, they need to pay like Japan does. When is the US or Mexico going to front the cash? Idiots. Fighters go where the money is, and for the lighter weights, that's Japan. They're prize fighters, FFS. You don't like it, win a purse bid to host the fight yourself. Sounds like racism.

Lol

Japan wouldn’t pay for Estrada to fight Ioka.

[Elheath]

Lol

Japan wouldn’t pay for Estrada to fight Ioka.

Because Estrada wanted equal or more money than his last fight which happened to be Chocolatito, who outside of Inoue is still the biggest cashcow of the lighter divisions. Not to mention as a result, Estrada went the whole year not fighting.

Granted I'm interested in who he fights next now. He isn't getting Choco IV payday that is for sure.

[57Blues]

It all comes down to money these days in boxing, and although on a much lower scale (pun intended) that rule applies for the lower weight too.

Due to Inoue, among the casuals currently Japan is becoming the mecca of the light weight divisions financially and for the pacific islanders it is very close to home so works for them too.

Japan is the new Mexico i like to say -- the heart that those fighters either from there or visiting to fight is pure and raw............ I got the date on a schedule now and now i got to hope that it will not fall thru but it wont bc the USA is not in there trying to muck things up for an extra dollar that is why they are fighting where they are fighting bc in the USA it is the money before it is ever about boxing itself.............

[Mikecr]

Why is Nakatani fighting for the belt?