Junto Nakatani-Petch CP Freshmart, ESPN+ Undercard Weigh-In Results From Tokyo

Junto Nakatani not only makes weight but makes a point to come in under the divisional limit.

The three-division and reigning WBC bantamweight titlist was 117 ¾ pounds during his latest trip to the scale. Nakatani defends his belt versus Thailand’s Petch CP Freshmart, who was 117 ½ pounds.

Their scheduled 12-rounder headlines an ESPN+ quadrupleheader, which includes three title fights, on Monday from Ariake Arena in Tokyo.

Nakatani (28-0, 21 knockouts) is fresh off a first-round knockout of the Philippines’ Vincent Astrolabio. Their July 20 headliner at Kokugikan Arena in Tokyo topped a lineup similar to this event.

The win over Astrolabio followed Nakatani’s Feb. 24 sixth-round knockout of Alexandro Santiago to become a three-division titlist. Monday marks the third fight of the year for Nakatani, all with the WBC bantamweight title at stake.

CP Freshmart (76-1, 53 KOs)—birth name Tasana Salapat—amazingly enters his first career title fight.

The 30-year-old southpaw has been a pro for more than thirteen years. The closest he’s come to a major belt was a Dec. 2018 loss to Takuma Inoue in their interim WBC bantamweight title fight. CP Freshmart—birth name Tasana Salapat—has won 28 in a row, though mostly versus middling competition.

The evening’s co-feature is the lone non-title fight of the night. Popular gate attraction Tenshin Nasukawa meets Philippines’ Gerwin Asilo (9-0, 4 KOs) in a ten-round regional title fight.

Nasukawa (4-0, 2 KOs) weighed right at the 118-pound divisional limit. Asilo (9-0, 4 KOs) was slightly lighter at 117 ½ pounds for his first career fight outside the Philippines.

Nasukawa is fresh off his first true knockout victory. He knocked out Jonathan Rodriguez (not the fatty who blew weight versus Tanaka) in the third round on the July 20 Nakatani-Astrolabio undercard. He previously stopped Luis Robles in the third as well, though due to ankle injury.

The former kickboxing star went the distance in each of his first two bouts but is already being fast tracked towards title contention.

Kosei Tanaka (20-1, 11 KOs) has a fight to look forward to this time around. The four-division and reigning WBO junior bantamweight titleholder faces unbeaten visiting South African contender Phumelele Cafu (10-0-3, 8 KOs).

Both fighters made weight, something which was an issue ahead of Tanaka’s canceled July 20 title defense. Tanaka came in right at the 115-pound junior bantamweight mark. Cafu was 114 ¾ pounds for his first career title fight.

Tanaka, No. 4 at 115, was due to defend his title on the July 20 Nakatani-Astrolabio card. However, challenger Jonathan Rodriguez showed up more than seven pounds above the 115-pound limit and was scratched from the show.

Opening the telecast, recently crowned WBO flyweight titlist Anthony Olascuaga meets former WBO 108-pound beltholder Jonathan ‘Bomba’ Gonzalez.

Los Angeles’ Olascuaga (7-1, 5 KOs), No. 8 at 112, weighed 111 ¾ pounds for the first defends of the title he won in a third-round knockout of Riku Kano. Puerto Rico’s Gonzalez (28-3-1, 14 KOs) came in at the 112-pound limit in a bid to become a two-division titlist.

The show airs live on ESPN+ beginning at 4:00 a.m. ET. It comes one day after a four title fight affair at this very venue on Sunday. Both events are presented by Mr. Honda’s Teiken Promotions in association with Top Rank and All Star Boxing, Inc.

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