Junto Nakatani (25-0, 19 KOs) is now a two-division world champion. The fighting pride of Sagamihara, Japan, captured the WBO junior bantamweight world title with a scintillating 12th-round knockout over Andrew Moloney (25-3, 16 KOs).
After adjusting to Moloney’s offense in the first round, Nakatani landed a right uppercut that dropped Moloney. The Australian former former world champion was undeterred, even as they clashed heads in the third round, causing a cut over Nakatani’s left eye and one over Moloney’s right eye.
As the rounds progressed, Nakatani’s dominance increased. Moloney rallied late with short punches on the inside, but those left him vulnerable to straight left hand that dropped him in the eleventh round and an overland left in the twelfth that ended the fight. Time of stoppage: 2:42.
Nakatani said.”I was very pleased and satisfied to have a good knockout. I was ready for him and his style. I knew he would fight that way and we adjusted to that.
“I think this win opens up a big road for me. I want unification fights. It can be against anybody. It can be with [Juan Francisco] Estrada or anybody.”
Haney vs Loma results:
Devin Haney controversially made the second defense of his undisputed title with scores of 115-113 [twice] and 116-112 against Vasiliy Lomachenko.
After more than one year of inactivity, Oscar Valdez made a successful ring return with a 10-round unanimous decision win in a rematch against Adam Lopez.
Lightweights: Emiliano Fernando Vargas (5-0, 4 KOs) defeated Rafael Jasso (3-1, 1 KO) via second-round knockout. The 19-year-old prodigy worked off a quick jab and lead left hook before landing hard counterpunches. After finding his rhythm, Vargas switched to southpaw and a left hook to the body to stop Jasso. Time of stoppage: 1:41.
Junior Featherweights: Floyd Diaz (9-0, 3 KOs) overcame a relentless attack from Mexican warrior Luis Fernando Saavedra (9-9, 3 KOs) en route to a six-round unanimous decision victory. Diaz fought off his back foot for the entire fight, using short counterpunches to land in between Saavedra’s wide punches. Scores: 80-72 2x and 79-73
Lightweights: Abdullah Mason (8-0, 7 KOs) earned his fourth straight stoppage with a TKO over Desmond Lyons (8-3, 2 KOs) at :32 of the sixth round.
The Cleveland southpaw’s relentless offense was too much for Lyons, who had stopped responding to Mason’s punishing shots in the final round, forcing referee Robert Hoyle to call a halt to the fight.
Middleweights: Amari Jones (9-0, 8 KOs) opened the night of action with a sixth-round TKO against Pachino Hill (8-3-1, 6 KOs). Time of stoppage: 1:16.
