I want to fight Takuma Inoue!” Jyunjin Nakatani, “the man who chases after monsters,” looks back on his “three-weight championship with a smile on his face.”
I had a lot of fun this time. I couldn’t help but smile naturally. I think this was what I would call my best bout.”
Nakatani, who won the WBC bantamweight championship on February 24 by knocking out Alejandro Santiago in six rounds, said 20 hours after the bout that the third belt around his waist was green, following the WBO flyweight and super flyweight belts. In the past, Joichiro Tatsuyoshi, Yasuei Yakushiji, Hozumi Hasegawa, Shinsuke Yamanaka, and Naoya Inoue had all won the belt.
Touching fists with his father for the first time in four years and five months
Nakatani had won two WBO belts, both by decision, and this was his first time challenging a champion.
I felt a good sense of urgency walking down the aisle as a challenger. I had never fought in Ryogoku Kokugikan before, but the ring and the audience were so close together that it felt like I was being squeezed. I could see all around me, and I could see faces I knew.”
Just before walking up the ramp, Nakatani matched his right glove with his father’s right fist.
“‘I’ll do my best. Thank you for everything! I am grateful to him for his support. My parents gave me the environment to pursue what I love.
Nakatani has always felt the warmth of his parents. Since his debut as a professional fighter, he and his father used to clasp fists seconds before stepping into the ring, but the “ritual” between father and son has become impossible since the COVID-19 crisis restricted the use of the hanamichi (flower aisle).
In his fight last September, he struggled with weight loss, unable to lose the last 900 grams. His father, a career chef, supported his son in terms of food. His father, Sumito, recalls, “Last time, I ate apples, oranges, and other foods.
He ate apples and oranges last time, which was not good for his weight loss. I regretted it, so I had him cut back on fruit for the Santiago match, limiting his intake to about three strawberries. Instead, I had him eat hot vegetables such as carrots, cabbage, onions, and mushrooms.
On the Hanamichi, I always put my fists together with the thought, ‘Don’t have any regrets. As far as I remember, this was the first fist touch since Junjin started entering the ring for the World Championships. As any parent would, we are not in the mood for this every match. But this time, he did his job without letting me hit him. I was very moved.”
The parents were seated in the front row at ringside, but their son’s expression was blocked by the steel pole in the blue corner and the backs of the trainers, so they could not see him with the naked eye.
I had no idea that Junko was smiling in the ring. I was heartbroken over here. …… But he has a great mentality. I am amazed, even as my own child.”
By the end of the first round, Nakatani had already lost his composure.
I didn’t come forward much at the beginning of the fight because I knew Santiago would put pressure on me,” Nakatani said. I went in defensively to avoid getting punched. My strategy was to keep my distance while keeping my right hand forward. I thought Santiago would come at me more aggressively, but I was able to control him well, so I had a good response.
