Junto Nakatani is a flashy fighter in his own right. Explosive boxing, short but sharp combinations. He has the size, the southpaw stance, and a powerful punch. All of this makes him a joy to watch. But against an opponent like Reyes, it should be even better.

The young Mexican’s primary goal in the ring is to hurt people. He presses actively and stalks them. He possesses a high guard and excellent physical conditioning. He is sufficiently durable with a good punch and, notably, is no smaller than Nakatani.

The kid has everything needed to give Junto a spectacular fight and close out 2025 by delivering another candidate for Fight of the Year.

The age gap is small—the 27-year-old Nakatani is only two years older. However, there is a significant gap in experience.

Junto has defeated the likes of Santiago, Moloney, Francisco Rodriguez, and Cuellar, as well as fellow Japanese fighters Nishida and Yamauchi. These are all solid names, even if fans who haven't seen them box might not always perceive them as elite.

Reyes hasn't had such names among his opponents yet. This doesn't mean he has faced exclusively mediocre opposition; there is simply a difference between a good opponent and a good opponent with a big name. The added responsibility of a high-profile fight creates mental pressure and sets the stage for potential mistakes.

Nakatani has already passed this test and shown he can handle it. Reyes has not.

In this case, the statistics clearly reflect the fighting styles of both men.

Overall, Nakatani throws more, though not significantly so. He also boasts a higher accuracy rate—26% compared to 22%.

When looking at jab metrics, the Japanese fighter dominates across the board. He attacks with his lead hand much more frequently—averaging 80 more jabs. Furthermore, he lands them more often—19% accuracy versus 16%.

However, regarding power punches, the quantitative advantage shifts to Reyes—by nearly 80 punches on average. Yet, Junto still leads in accuracy here as well—33% successful power shots against 24%.

Despite Nakatani's impressive 33% power punch accuracy, he will have to respect Reyes' output. The aggressive Mexican orthodox fighter won't give up easily and will fire off plenty of power shots. Avoiding one of those "bombs" will be a major task, and a crucial one, considering Sebastian’s high knockout percentage.

For both fighters, this will be their third outing of the year. For modern boxers, this is an excellent pace.

Reyes meets Nakatani immediately after a grueling encounter with Hovhannisyan. The veteran Armenian orthodox fighter switched stances throughout the fight and boxed off the back foot, serving as a great test before the meeting with the Japanese star. Moreover, Azat became the first boxer since 2021 that Sebastian failed to knock out.

Nakatani has knocked out everyone in 2025. And not just this year. The last person to last the distance against Junto was Cortez in 2023. This year, Junto first knocked out David Cuellar and then forced Ryosuke Nishida to retire.

The Mexican has a 90% stoppage rate. Nakatani sits at 77.42%. Both boxers are dangerous and explosive. Junto has also proven he can be dangerous at any level.

That is exactly the difference. Reyes has yet to show that he can knock out a top-tier opponent with his heavy hits. While he is undoubtedly dangerous, just how much so will only be revealed during the fight.

Nakatani does not have a perfect defense, which might worry his fans ahead of a fight against such a big hitter. Junto loves a show; he loves to please the crowd. Consequently, his fights are often emotional, vivid, and filled with actions that aren't always logical. He could be more cautious and give his opponents even more trouble, but he chooses the path that is more entertaining.

Therefore, when talking about such a clash, even the toughest chin might fail. Nakatani can take a hit, but is it enough?

Reyes hasn't been tested to the extent that one can speak confidently about his durability. It will be up to Junto to figure that out on the fly.

Neither fighter travels outside their home countries often, and both will be arriving in Riyadh for the first time.

But this is for the best. The pressure is equal on both sides. Now, they just need to display their boxing class in the ring.

This will be Nakatani's first fight in a new division. Promoters chose a difficult opponent due to size, style, and punching power. On the other hand, what else would you expect if the guy plans on eventually facing Naoya Inoue?

Reyes is exactly the kind of fighter who can ruin those plans. Land a shot, finish him off, and become the one whose power Nakatani cannot handle.

His fight against Hovhannisyan, where he had to dig deep, should serve him well here. He will have to do the same again. Nakatani won't let himself be outboxed; Reyes will have to move forward, impose his own rules, and intimidate with power shots. Only then will his chances of victory move from theoretical to realistic.

However, a focused Nakatani is a problem. Fast, tough, and a southpaw to boot. He is good on his feet and has plans for several mega-fights: against Inoue and Jesse Rodriguez. Therefore, the Japanese fighter has no shortage of motivation.