Thoughts on Junto Nakatani's next potential fight?

[Elheath]

The day after the big events at the post-conference presser, it is already mentioned that Nakatani's next fight will likely be another voluntary defense next February in Japan.

This is unfortunate because the April undercard of Inoue in Vegas is obviously scrapped due to Takuma's loss. Unfortunately Teiken had a huge issue even finding an opponent for this with every notable contender refusing except Petch. Also with how Takuma was the only, ONLY beltholder that was actually willing to do an unification next, Nakatani is really in a bad position similar to Naoya was in during superfly. Nishida already flat out refused any unifications, Takei has the kickboxing revenge against Tenshin Nasukawa plotline already in play for next year, and Tsutsumi said himself that while he does see an unification as a nice thing, he wants to "enjoy" the belt for a while (ie will be doing some defenses against easier opponents). As for contenders to fight, after Petch the WBC rankings are Santiago (already soundly defeated him to get the belt), Nasukawa (not fighting Nakatani before Takei showdown if ever), Moloney (will not be fighting a stronger southpaw after a much weaker southpaw in Takei royally exposed his weakness), ERod (going for the IBF eliminator next month), and no one else really standing out. Also unlikely that their promoters are willing to make Ayala or Cuellar crash and burn against Nakatani knowing he's likely to be vacating within a year, and also unlikely Bam Rodriguez bothers to come up early next year just to fight him when he's also got plans for 115. Fighting Chocolatito or Estrada is also unlikely given promotion.

While I am really happy for Tsutsumi after last year and he deserved to win with his fight, but Takuma losing to him really, REALLY effed up Nakatani's plans for more exposure in US than Naoya's plans if anything. Naoya can still fight Goodman on December in Japan and MJ on April in Vegas, then go for Nakatani showdown in the 2nd half or 2025 or worst case if Nakatani fight gets canned he can just go up to 126 and start belt hunting. Nakatani is going to end up fighting another overmatched dude for a 3rd voluntary then just go up to 122 for Naoya, or attempt to stay at 118 for about 2 more years to hope for someone changing their minds on an unification but lose out on the potential for Naoya matchup.

Either way, this effed Nakatani's future more than anything. He really should just vacate the belt in that case and move up to 122 and fight the highest ranked opponent willing to fight him and start getting body used to 122 weight before a second half showdown with Naoya. Fulton/Nery/Goodman/MJ are unavailable but at this point fighting Tapales or heck, even Doheny (he should be healed from injury by next spring) probably are harder opponents that what is left in bantamweight that is available and would agree to fight Nakatani. They will still be the best opponent Nakatani can fight prior to Inoue, since I doubt being with Top Rank getting Cardenas/Picasso won't be doable.

Who do you think Nakatani could fight early next year that would be a nice inbetween before a hopeful Naoya matchup?

[crimsonfalcon07]

It's crazy how the others refuse to do unifications. IMO any belt holder that refuses to unify should be stripped. You're no world champion if you're unwilling to face the best. Whatever happened to wanting to prove you were the best? Thank goodness for Naoya Inoue.

[El_Mero]

Well the fight with Inoue (2x undisputed bro) could still happen eventually but that loss bro took def takes away the build up. Nakatani should fight the rest of the belt holders in his division, try to become undisputed then him and Inoue could make a huge fight happen end of next year. What I like about them over there is they have no problem making the fights.

[Elheath]

It's crazy how the others refuse to do unifications. IMO any belt holder that refuses to unify should be stripped. You're no world champion if you're unwilling to face the best. Whatever happened to wanting to prove you were the best? Thank goodness for Naoya Inoue.

Being fair the one I'm really irked is Nishida's lack of activity or willingness to do much after his win against ERod.

Takei took on Moloney on his 9th fight and then just 4 month later followed it up with a rather hard, non-pushover opponent solid fellow countryman Daigo Higa to do his first defense against which certainly had its worth for the Japanese fans. There is also the rumor (which I think has a fair amount of reality in it) that he might be fighting Chocolatito next on the December Inoue undercard, which is quite a nice streak of tough bantamweight opponents for a new beltholder to accept in a 7 month span. He also has an ongoing rivalry from his kickboxing era with Tenshin Nasukawa, and practically everyone is dreaming of those two fighting at the end of next year and can't afford to give a 100% guaranteed loss to Nakatani just yet. Given that Nasukawa is by defacto the 2nd most popular boxer right now in Japan after Naoya due to his kickboxing P4P status, him vs Takei world title is possibly the only Tokyo Dome capable main boxing event not involving Naoya.

He lost, but credit to Takuma is that while he knew the fans expected him to get rolled over, he himself actually believed that he had the skills to cause a huge upset and was willing to take the risk that no one else was even considering. Obviously it didn't
go as people hoped but in a way mentality wise he was the strongest out of the other three beltholders. It probably also helped that had he won this weekend, he would've had 2 years and 3 defenses as a beltholder to enjoy the feeling as a world champion even if he lost to Nakatani next spring.

Tsutsumi gave his heart and soul to get the belt, and expecting him to immediately be willing to relinquish his super hard earned belt from the childhood dream on his next match a few month later just so someone else (Nakatani) can use him as a stepping stone to further stardom is kinda unfair. He said he would be up for an unification in the future if the chance comes by, and I understand his feeling of wanting to have a defense that he has a good chance of winning first before facing promised loss of belt. Unfortunately Nakatani needs an opponent NEXT, not some potential opponent for sometime in the future and can't wait that long especially considering the potential Naoya fight.

Which brings me to Nishida...congratz to him for overcoming the underdog status to defeat ERod, credit to that. That being said, his long inactivity after his win in March along with the frequent statement that he's got zero interest in unifications not just Nakatani but in general (but is openly welcoming and appealing to fight with Nasukawa for BIG cash and media coverage in Japan), and that he plans to move up and aim for 2nd division relatively soon (aka as soon as Naoya vacates then slide in for an easier vacant belt match) kinda left a bitter image on me. Rumor has him doing an easy defense in December in his hometown, but I have a bad feeling after that he'll fight the winner of Erod/Salas mandatory 2nd half next year and thats it for his 118 defense unless he gets to fight Nasukawa after he fights Takei and win.

[Elheath]

Well the fight with Inoue (2x undisputed bro) could still happen eventually but that loss bro took def takes away the build up. Nakatani should fight the rest of the belt holders in his division, try to become undisputed then him and Inoue could make a huge fight happen end of next year. What I like about them over there is they have no problem making the fights.

The main point of the topic is that due to the above reasons given, strictly in the case of Nakatani he can't score an unification. Takuma really was an exception.

Ironically, back when the beltholders were Nakatani/Takuma/ERod/Moloney it might have been easier because ERod, had he won against Nishida was talking about wanting unification for good money next, and Moloney was hoping for avenging his brother and he had the mentality believing he was the best but his skills failed his mental strength.

[JOITATS]

Most sources say Nishida now.
Since Takuma us out, everyone is looking at diff opponents. Nishida wants Junto.

But I rather see Bam or Choco.

[Elheath]

Most sources say Nishida now.
Since Takuma us out, everyone is looking at diff opponents. Nishida wants Junto.

But I rather see Bam or Choco.

As recent as this month Nishida and his team said he isn't looking at unifications, and currently looking for a homecoming voluntary defense for December. He also said he's hoping for a Tenshin fight (aka cash grab) next year.

...Unless one possibility, after Takuma's loss Teiken/Top Rank agreed to bite the bullet and made a HUGE overpriced monetary offer to Nishida well above what he'll make the next few fights combined plus worth forgoing a chance at Nasukawa money.

As for Bam, he probably is looking for winner of Martinez-Ioka after Guevara and Choco seems more likely to go for Takei.

[crimsonfalcon07]

Being fair the one I'm really irked is Nishida's lack of activity or willingness to do much after his win against ERod.

Takei took on Moloney on his 9th fight and then just 4 month later followed it up with a rather hard, non-pushover opponent solid fellow countryman Daigo Higa to do his first defense against which certainly had its worth for the Japanese fans. There is also the rumor (which I think has a fair amount of reality in it) that he might be fighting Chocolatito next on the December Inoue undercard, which is quite a nice streak of tough bantamweight opponents for a new beltholder to accept in a 7 month span. He also has an ongoing rivalry from his kickboxing era with Tenshin Nasukawa, and practically everyone is dreaming of those two fighting at the end of next year and can't afford to give a 100% guaranteed loss to Nakatani just yet. Given that Nasukawa is by defacto the 2nd most popular boxer right now in Japan after Naoya due to his kickboxing P4P status, him vs Takei world title is possibly the only Tokyo Dome capable main boxing event not involving Naoya.

He lost, but credit to Takuma is that while he knew the fans expected him to get rolled over, he himself actually believed that he had the skills to cause a huge upset and was willing to take the risk that no one else was even considering. Obviously it didn't
go as people hoped but in a way mentality wise he was the strongest out of the other three beltholders. It probably also helped that had he won this weekend, he would've had 2 years and 3 defenses as a beltholder to enjoy the feeling as a world champion even if he lost to Nakatani next spring.

Tsutsumi gave his heart and soul to get the belt, and expecting him to immediately be willing to relinquish his super hard earned belt from the childhood dream on his next match a few month later just so someone else (Nakatani) can use him as a stepping stone to further stardom is kinda unfair. He said he would be up for an unification in the future if the chance comes by, and I understand his feeling of wanting to have a defense that he has a good chance of winning first before facing promised loss of belt. Unfortunately Nakatani needs an opponent NEXT, not some potential opponent for sometime in the future and can't wait that long especially considering the potential Naoya fight.

Which brings me to Nishida...congratz to him for overcoming the underdog status to defeat ERod, credit to that. That being said, his long inactivity after his win in March along with the frequent statement that he's got zero interest in unifications not just Nakatani but in general (but is openly welcoming and appealing to fight with Nasukawa for BIG cash and media coverage in Japan), and that he plans to move up and aim for 2nd division relatively soon (aka as soon as Naoya vacates then slide in for an easier vacant belt match) kinda left a bitter image on me. Rumor has him doing an easy defense in December in his hometown, but I have a bad feeling after that he'll fight the winner of Erod/Salas mandatory 2nd half next year and thats it for his 118 defense unless he gets to fight Nasukawa after he fights Takei and win.

I hear you on that, but don't you think that they ought to fight each other at least, if not Junto?

Next best fights for him might be guys like Casimero (to sell the narrative that he was willing to fight the guy that Inoue didn't, even if that's entirely on Casimero). Offer the fight at 118, and he won't have to risk his belt because Casimero won't even make weight. It's a shame promotional issues might prevent him from fighting Estrada, because that's another interesting fight since Estrada doesn't want another beating from Bam.

[Elheath]

I hear you on that, but don't you think that they ought to fight each other at least, if not Junto?

Next best fights for him might be guys like Casimero (to sell the narrative that he was willing to fight the guy that Inoue didn't, even if that's entirely on Casimero). Offer the fight at 118, and he won't have to risk his belt because Casimero won't even make weight. It's a shame promotional issues might prevent him from fighting Estrada, because that's another interesting fight since Estrada doesn't want another beating from Bam.

Ironically as soon as Nakatani vacates everyone is likely to start fighting eachother.

Albeit far feached as hell, in the super perfect dream world for Teiken what they hoped was the following:

• Takuma/Nakatani win convincingly, start promoting unification next spring.
• Nasukawa dominates for the regional title, shows further improvement and hype for Takei match next year
• Nakatani wins unification next spring, builds the story then vacates both belts to go take on Naoya at 122
• The likes of Takuma/Tsutsumi/other Jr guys in their stable can regain one or two of the vacated belts later in 2025
• Winner of Tenshin/Takei (preferably the more marketable Tenshin) fights Nishida in unification and win in late 2025
• Unified champion Tenshin Nasukawa fights the other two beltholders in 2027 to go undisputed at 118
• Nakatani re-collects all the 122 belts left by Naoya to go undisputed
• 2028 Super clash between two undisputed in Japan

Reality hit hard where Takuma lost and Tenshin showed some weakness and vulnerability against someone they considered a significantly lesser opponent in Asilo.
By the Nishida is hoping for a Nasukawa payday then go up to 122 afterwards regardless of result and go for a belt soon to be vacated by Naoya before Nakatani recollects them all.

[Elheath]

As for Casimero, at this point I'd rather Nakatani go up to 122 then fight Tapales instead than him.