Boxing: WBC bantam champ Junto Nakatani part of 7 title-bout October fest

TOKYO (Kyodo) — Japan’s WBC bantamweight champion Junto Nakatani will take on Petch Sor Chitpattana of Thailand in his second title defense as one of seven world title bouts scheduled over two days in October in Tokyo, the event’s organizers said Thursday.

Nakatani, ninth in the prestigious Ring magazine’s pound-for-pound rankings, will be in action at Ariake Arena on Oct. 14 when compatriot and WBO super flyweight champion Kosei Tanaka faces Phumelele Cafu of South Africa in his first title defense.

“I’ll aim for a knockout,” said Nakatani, who is 28-0 in his career with 21 KOs. “I’m facing a southpaw for the first time in a while, so I’ll enjoy the process to get thoroughly prepared and look to build a body that allows me to perform to my ability.”

The day’s world title tripleheader also sees WBO flyweight champion Anthony Olascuaga of the United States fight against Puerto Rican Jonathan Gonzalez.

A day earlier, Takuma Inoue, the younger brother of Naoya “Monster” Inoue, will defend his WBA bantamweight belt for the third time against countryman and third-ranked contender Seiya Tsutsumi as part of a quadruple-header.

On the same card, Kenshiro Teraji is up against Cristofer Rosales of Nicaragua in their WBC flyweight title bout as the Japanese bids to add a second weight division title to his WBC light flyweight belt.

Japan’s Seigo Yuri Akui will make his second WBA flyweight title defense against Thananchai Charunphak of Thailand, while top-ranked contender Japanese Shokichi Iwata and second-ranked Spaniard Jairo Noriega will vie for the vacant WBO light flyweight championship.