What an unbelievable card we have on our hands. Two Japanese champions will defend their newly acquired titles for the first time. Let’s start with the main event and our Nakatani vs Astrolabio prediction.
Nakatani vs Astrolabio Prediction: Who’s Got the Edge?
Junto Nakatani Preview
A lot has been said about Junto Nakatani in recent years. Many boxing fans and analysts believe that he is the only one who could present ‘The Monster’ with a real challenge. But at the same time, he is only 26 years old and has more to grow until he reaches his peak. The dream fight will happen one day, no doubt, but first – Vincent Astrolabio.
Junto Nakatani made his professional debut in 2015 and in less than ten years conquered three weight classes. He rides a 27-0 unbeaten record with 20 knockouts. His height is 172 centimeters and his reach is 170.
Nakatani won the WBO Flyweight title in 2020 when he defeated Giemel Magramo. He won the WBO Junior Bantamweight title when he moved up and faced Andrew Moloney, the same boxer who defeated Astrolabio last year. Last but not least, Nakatani defeated Alexandro Santiago in February of this year to win the WBC Bantamweight championship.
Junto is a high-pressure boxer, like most Japanese fighters, so he will definitely use his anthropometric advantage once again and try to finish the fight as early as possible. Everyone expects a knockout but before we can confirm or deny this prediction, let’s take a closer look at the challenger.
Vincent Astrolabio Preview
Vincent ‘Asero’ Astrolabio is a Filipino boxer with a professional record of 19-4-0. Fourteen of these wins came by knockout. He stands at 165 centimeters tall and has a 166cm reach. He is at a disadvantage in both metrics.
Astrolabio also debuted in 2015 but had a far more troublesome path to the top. He suffered three defeats in one year between 2017 and 2018, losing to fighters who weren’t supposed to stand a chance against him. He bounced back with six wins in a row, eventually reaching a title fight against Jason Moloney in May 2023.
Although he lost, we have to note that the fight was extremely close and Moloney won via majority decision. He bounced back with a win over Nowaphon Kaikanha later that year.
While Nakatani is the obvious favorite, Astrolabio’s power shouldn’t be neglected. He is more than capable of knocking out most elite bantamweights. But is he good enough to break the talented champion?
Our Junto Nakatani vs Vincent Astrolabio Prediction: A Knockout… And Still
All experts and bookmakers unanimously give preference to the current champion, and we cannot argue for our final Nakatani vs Astrolabio prediction. The difference in class here is undeniable to the extent that we do not see even a theoretical possibility for the challenger to survive the full 12 rounds.
Nakatani traditionally finishes his fights before the 10th round and we find the over/under options good here. You can even bet on the fight to finish between the 8th and 10th rounds if such a market is available with your bookmaker. Either way, we predict a knockout.
