Junto Nakatani Knocks out Vincent Astrolabio

WBC World bantamweight champion Junto Nakatani knocked out No. 1 ranked Vincent ‘Asero’ Astrolabio of the Philippines in the first round on Saturday night on ESPN+ at the Kokugikan, Tokyo, Japan.

In the main event, three-division champion and current WBC World bantamweight champion southpaw Junto Nakatani (28-0, 21) knocked out WBC No. 1 ranked Vicent Astrolabio (19-5, 14 KOs) at 2:37 of the first round of a scheduled 12 rounds.

Nakatani used an effective jab in the first round, keeping Astrolabio on the receiving end. In the final minute, Nakatani landed a pair of jabs to the chin, followed by a left to the midsection, and down went Astrolabio. He tried beating the count of referee Thomas Taylor but couldn’t.

Flyweight Ryku Kano (22-5-2, 11 KOs) was knocked out by WBO No. 3 ranked Anthony Olascuaga (7-1, 5 KO) at 2:50 of the third round for the vacant WBO World flyweight title in a scheduled 12 rounds.

In the third round, Olascuaga landed a right uppercut to the chin, followed by a left uppercut to the chin, and Kano down went for the count from referee Jose Hiram Rivera.

Bantamweight Jonathan Rodriguez (17-3-1, 7 KOs) was stopped by southpaw kickboxing champion and No. 7 ranked southpaw Tenshin Nasukawa (4-0, 2 KOs) at 1:49 of the third round of a scheduled ten rounds.

In the first round, southpaw Nasukawa had too much hand speed for Rodriguez, landing lead lefts to body and chin. In the second round, Nasukawa landed a dozen unanswered punches without a return from Rodriguez in the final seconds.

In the third round, Nasukawa landed six straight punches, starting with a left to the chin, and down went Rodriguez for an 8-count from referee Michiaki Someya. Upon rising, the corner of Rodriguez called a halt to the bout.

Super Middleweight Iseei Aramoto (1-0, 1 KO) stopped Mongontsooj Nandinerdene (2-2-1, 2 KO) at 1:09 of the sixth and final round.

In the first three rounds, Aramoto dominated Nandinerdene. In the sixth round, a flurry of punches from Aramoto down went Nandinerdene for the count from Referee Katsuhiko Nakamura.

The ring announcer was Jimmy Lennon, Jr.