Kenshiro Teraji, Seigo Yuri Akui, Kosei Tanaka, Shokichi Iwata, Anthony Olascuaga, and Tenshin Nasukawa also see action
We’re heading into the tail end of 2024, which means it’s time for the traditional onslaught of loaded Japanese cards. Top Rank has announced a pair of back-to-back shows on October 13th and 14th at Ariake Arena that feature seven title fights and the latest from rising star Tenshin Nasukawa.
The first evening sees Takuma Inoue (20-1, 5 KO), brother of Naoya, defend his bantamweight title against undefeated slugger Seiya Tsutsumi (11-0-2, 8 KO) in the main event. Inoue has proven more watchable than usual of late, scoring two of his five career knockouts in his last four fights, and Tsutsumi is a consistent entertainer.
Also on tap is Kenshiro Teraji (23-1, 14 KO) vs Cristofer Rosales (37-6, 22 KO) for the vacant WBC flyweight title, WBA flyweight champion Seigo Yuri Akui’s (20-2-1, 11 KO) second defense of his title against Thailand’s Thananchai Charunphak (25-1, 15 KO), and Shokichi Iwata’s (13-1, 10 KO) clash with Jairo Noriega (14-0, 3 KO) for the vacant WBO light flyweight belt.
The following evening, Junto Nakatani (28-0, 21 KO) meets Petch Sor Chitpattana (76-1, 53 KO) for his second fight in under three months. Petch has spent virtually his entire career in his native Thailand, leaving only to drop a unanimous decision to Takuma Inoue in 2018.
The supporting cast features Kosei Tanaka (20-1, 13 KO) making the first defense of his second WBO super flyweight title reign against South African contender Phumelele Cafu (10-0-3, 8 KO), Anthony Olascuaga (7-1, 5 KO) defending his newly acquired WBO flyweight belt against former light flyweight titlist Jonathan “Bomba” Gonzalez (28-3-1, 14 KO), and the aforementioned Nasukawa (4-0, 2 KO) facing Gerwin Asilo (9-0, 4 KO).
I’d have preferred to see Inoue and Nakatani just duke it out, but I’ll take it. Solid doubleheader.
