Junto Nakatani defends his WBC bantamweight title against Tasana Salapat on Monday at the Ariake Arena, with plans to challenge Naoya Inoue next year in what could be the biggest fight in Japanese boxing history.
Nakatani should not have much trouble in dispatching Salapat and preserving the chance to be a part of a historical fight. Boxing odds have Nakatani a major -5,000 favorite, while Thailand’s Salapat returns as a +900 underdog.
Here are my best free betting picks for Nakatani vs. Salapat on October 14.
Nakatani vs Salapat prediction and pick
- My fight prediction
Nakatani moneyline (-2,000 at DraftKings) - My best bet
Nakatani by KO (-800 at BetMGM)
Fight analysis
The reason we aren’t talking about Junto Nakatani as much is simply because Naoya Inoue exists. Nakatani, undefeated and a titleholder in three weight classes, is a phenomenal boxer in his own right with significant power. While he hasn’t reached the same level of notoriety as his counterpart, he’s a solid fighter in every sense and is eager to prove himself against one of the best pound-for-pound fighters of all time.
But before he gets that chance, he has to beat the man in front of him — Tasana Salapat.
Salapat has 77 professional fights, but it’s his one loss that stands out more than his wins. In 2018, Salapat was soundly outboxed by Takuma Inoue in what was the highest-profile fight of his career and his first bout outside of Thailand. He fights often, sometimes with only a month between matches, but that’s not uncommon in the region, where established veterans fight whoever is available. However, the quantity of Salapat’s fights has come at the cost of quality, as many of his opponents have been relatively inexperienced — including several making their professional debuts.
Nakatani is comprehensively better than Salapat in every way. If Takuma Inoue could keep Salapat lost and confused for 12 rounds, Nakatani’s superior power and technique might prevent us from watching a full-length mismatch.
While Salapat may be better than most in his talent pool, it is a small pool. After his loss to Inoue, he returned to the basics and likely hasn’t made significant improvements.
I don’t doubt Salapat’s resilience, but he’s outmatched. I’m picking Nakatani.
Best best analysis
Salapat is a hard charger, and that's led to him being knocked down by some of the regional opponents he’s faced. If he's getting put down by that level of opposition, then Nakatani won’t need much time to drop him and keep him on the canvas.
My best bet for the fight is Nakatani winning by knockout.
Junto Nakatani vs Tasana Salapat odds
| Method of victory | Junto Nakatani | Tasana Salapat |
|---|---|---|
| Win outright | -5,000 | +900 |
| Win by KO/TKO | -800 | +1,600 |
| Win by points or decision | +500 | +4,000 |
| Draw | +2,500 | +2,500 |
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of 10-12.
Junto Nakatani vs Tasana Salapat tale of the tape
| Nakatani | Salapat | |
|---|---|---|
| 26 | Age | 30 |
| 5-foot-7 | Height | 5-foot-7 |
| 118 pounds | Weight | 118 pounds |
| 67 inches | Reach | 68.5 inches |
| 28-0 (21 KOs) | Record | 76-1 (53 KOs) |
Not intended for use in MA.
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