The Junto Nakatani vs. Vincent Astrolabio weigh-ins have just wrapped up, and to the delight of fans, the pair's WBC bantamweight title remains intact. Nakatani, the defending champion, stepped on the scale at 117.25 pounds, right below the 118-pound bantamweight limit.
Meanwhile, his challenger, Astrolabio, weighed at 117.5 pounds. Thus, the Top Rank card set for tomorrow has not lost its main event and marquee championship bout. The matchup itself bears tremendous importance for the two men headlining the card. For Nakatani, it marks his first WBC bantamweight title defense.
Meanwhile, Astrolabio has just bounced back from a WBO bantamweight championship loss, when he and Jason Moloney competed for the belt. His recent win over Thailand's Nawaphon Kaikanha is what earned the Filipino boxing star his title fight with the unbeaten Nakatani.
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Despite his skill and toughness, Astrolabio is not favored to win, with Nakatani's knockout power and sharp, sniping style expected to trouble him. Both men will look to emulate their respective countries' most legendary fighters, with the Philippines having produced an all-time great in Manny Pacquiao.
Meanwhile, Japan's greatest boxer is arguably Naoya Inoue, an undefeated power-puncher in a vein similar to Nakatani himself. With both men heading into a legacy-defining weekend, Naktani will hope to solidify his WBC championship status and turn his challenger's best attempts away.
The card starts at 5:00 AM E.T. (Eastern Time) / 2:00 AM P.T. (Pacific Time), while the main event is expected to start at 8:00 AM E.T. / 5:00 AM P.T.
Both Junto Nakatani and Vincent Astrolabio have never missed weight
Junto Nakatani and Vincent Astrolabio have both competed across several weight classes, with the Japanese champion having fought at flyweight, super flyweight, and bantamweight. Astrolabio, meanwhile, has fought at super flyweight and bantamweight.
Check out Junto Nakatani and Vincente Astrolabio facing off:
Despite the multitude of divisions they've both competed in, neither man has ever missed weight. Their discipline was again on display this time around, with both men hitting the bantamweight mark without fail.
Now, Nakatani will hope for a victory on home soil, while Astrolabio heads into enemy territory on a mission for championship gold.