Current WBO junior bantamweight titlist Junto Nakatani has vacated his title to move up to bantamweight.

It is believed that Nakatani, who only won the title in May and has since made one defense, was struggling to make 115-pounds and will make his bantamweight debut in February or March before taking aim at a world title.

Nakatani’s long-time trainer, Rudy Hernandez, isn’t so much looking to match fellow Japanese standout and pound-for-pound star Naoya Inoue’s impressive feats, but rather he wants to create and make his own mark in boxing.

“Junto isn’t trying to emulate Inoue, it just happens to be that both are fighting in the same era, with Inoue a few steps ahead of the game,” said Hernandez. “Inoue is the lead and he’s the guy to follow. Junto is in his own lane. Inoue is making big moves.

“We just happen to be here today looking to make our own history. We will all follow his lead, hoping to be almost as good as him, but that’s a very difficult task.

“Junto is not as popular worldwide like Inoue but he’s in his own lane doing his own story. When all is done, if there’s ever a time where they can be compared then we did good and that’s enough for me.”

Nakatani (26-0, 19 knockouts), rated at No. 3 by The Ring at junior bantamweight, ran through his early opposition and holds wins over future junior flyweight titleholder Masamichi Yabuki (UD 4), flyweight contender Seigo Yuri Akui (TKO 6) and also defeated former 108-pound titleholder Milan Melindo (TKO 6). The COVID19 pandemic stymied the tall 25-year-old’s progress and he had to wait 13-months to win the vacant WBO title against Giemel Magramo (TKO 8). Nakatani then made two defenses, including his American debut, when he stopped former titleholder Angel Acosta (TKO 4) and on the undercard of the Gennadiy Golovkin-Ryota Murata clash, and he was equally impressive bludgeoning Ryota Yamauchi (TKO 8).

The heavy-handed boxer-puncher moved up to 115-pounds and beat Francisco Rodriguez Jr. (UD 10) before capturing the vacant WBO title with a highlight-reel knockout over Andrew Moloney (KO 11) and then widely dominating Argi Cortes (UD 12).

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