The organizers succeeded not only in setting up a unification bout, but also in crafting a matchup that promises to be a true spectacle. Ryosuke Nishida is a persistent, offense-oriented fighter who thrives at mid-to-close range, putting together sharp combinations. He works both the body and head fluidly within each sequence, constantly pushing the pace and forcing his opponents to work hard.

Junto Nakatani, while capable of exchanging at close range, generally prefers a different approach. Fighting off his quick feet, he uses precise counterpunching, maneuvering between his opponent’s attacks and exploiting every opening. He punishes mistakes with surgical precision and power.

These two are nearly the same age — Nishida is 28, just a year older than Nakatani. He’s faced solid opposition, including Christian Jimenez, Emmanuel Rodriguez, and Thailand’s Panya Uthok. Notably, Nishida tends to go the distance, showing he knows how to control pace and draw opponents into his rhythm.

Nakatani’s résumé is more stacked overall — with wins over Jason Moloney, Alexandro Santiago, Vincent Astrolabio, Angel Acosta, and Yamauchi. That’s an elite list, and he’s beaten them all.

Both fighters throw an average of 50–60 punches per round, with occasional bursts above 70 in high-tempo rounds — though that’s rare.

Nakatani is slightly more accurate, largely due to his style, which enables him to create clearer scoring opportunities. His timing and positioning often give him the edge in clean shot selection.

Nakatani fought three times in 2024, and already once in 2025 — he’s an ideal of consistency and professionalism, keeping his promise to stay active and always in shape.

Nishida fought twice in 2024. While less active, he remains sharp — but Nakatani clearly enters this bout with the momentum of frequent, high-quality performances.

Clear advantage: Nakatani. He boasts a 76% KO ratio versus just 20% for Nishida.

But it’s not just brute strength. Nakatani’s power is well-placed, well-timed, and devastating. He doesn’t just hit hard — he hits clean. He’s currently riding a four-fight knockout streak, and his shots drop opponents with frightening regularity.

Both men have shown solid chins. Nishida sometimes gets caught in exchanges — a natural risk for a volume puncher — but has proven durable.

Nakatani has been shaken a few times in recent fights, but he always regained control and finished strong. Neither man has major red flags here.

This will be Nakatani’s fourth fight in Ariake, making him something of a local regular. While not technically from the city, he’s very much at home here.

Nishida, on the other hand, has fought exclusively in Osaka since 2021, where he lives. This will mark his first time competing outside his home base in years — a notable shift in environment.

Nakatani is doing everything right to set up a mega-fight with Naoya Inoue — a clash that’s already been verbally agreed upon, with Inoue himself calling Nakatani out. But that’s later. First, he must secure his status as the top man in the division.

Nishida is determined to derail those plans. He’s capable of forcing Nakatani to fight on his terms — to engage, trade, and work every minute. The question is whether he can withstand Nakatani’s power in return.

If Nakatani keeps the fight at his preferred distance, maintaining rhythm and control, he should walk away from this fight as the unified world champion.