Prime Video Presents Live Boxing 9 Featuring Tenshin Nasukawa's Fourth Boxing Match against the World's Fourth Best, and WBC World Bantamweight Champion Junto Nakatani's First Defense, to Livestream Exclusively for Prime Members on Prime Video, on July 20

Prime Video Presents Live Boxing 9 Featuring

Tenshin Nasukawa's Fourth Boxing Match against the World's Fourth Best, and WBC World Bantamweight Champion Junto Nakatani's First Defense, to Livestream Exclusively for Prime Members on Prime Video, on July 20

The card also features major fights like Junto Nakatani vs. Vincent Astrolabio for the WBC World Bantamweight title; Kosei Tanaka vs. Jonathan Rodriguez for the WBO World Super Flyweight title; and Riku Kano vs. Anthony Olascuaga for the WBO World Flyweight title

TOKYO―31 May 2024―Today, Prime Video announced it will exclusively livestream major boxing title fights at the ninth installment of Prime Video Presents Live Boxing on July 20, 2024, at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo. The cards feature Tenshin Nasukawa's fourth boxing match; Champion Junto Nakatani (Japan) facing the number one ranked Vincent Astrolabio (Philippines) in the WBC World Bantamweight title; Champion Kosei Tanaka (Japan) versus the number thirteen ranked Jonatan Rodriguez (Mexico) for the WBO World Super Flyweight title; and Riku Kano (Japan), ranked number one in his division, against Anthony Olascuaga (USA), ranked number two in his division, for the WBO World Flyweight title. Prime members in Japan will be able to watch Prime Video Presents Live Boxing 9 exclusively at no additional cost to their membership. Prime members enjoy unlimited access to fast, convenient shipping benefits such as express delivery and specific time delivery at no additional charge, as well as a variety of other shopping benefits and entertainment.

Prime Video Presents Live Boxing 9 will livestream the fourth fight of Tenshin Nasukawa, who was dubbed a "prodigy" after winning all 42 of his fights in his kickboxing days. He is currently ranked number seven in the WBA after winning a TKO in the third round against a world-ranked fighter in Osaka in January, replacing him. This will be Nasukawa's first 10-round bout. His opponent, Jonathan Rodriguez, is ranked number four in the WBA and has 20 fights with 17 wins (including seven KOs) and two losses. For Nasukawa, this match against a strong opponent is a touchstone for the title match that is expected in the future.

Junto Nakatani will be facing Vincent Astrolabio, the WBC's number one ranked challenger, who won his first three-weight championships with a sixth-round TKO victory over the tough and well-known Alejandro Santiago of Mexico in his crowning bout in February. He was ranked 10th in the U.S. Ring magazine's pound-for-pound ranking (a ranking that compares the abilities of boxers in all weight classes, assuming there was no weight difference between them), and is regarded as the strongest fighter in the Bantamweight division, which is crowded with the best fighters.

Kosei Tanaka achieved his long-cherished dream of becoming the world's fastest four-weight champion by winning the championship in February. With an eye on a unification bout with his opponents, he will be challenged by Jonathan Rodriguez in his first defense of his title.

The match between Riku Kano and Anthony Olascuaga will be for the WBO World Flyweight Championship. In his first world championship match at the age of 18, Kano lost a six-inning decision to an injured fighter. Olascuaga, on the other hand, has fought his last two bouts in Japan and is well known to many fans for his aggressive style.

"Prime Video Presents Live Boxing 8 was recently held at Tokyo Dome for the first time in 34 years. Thanks to the large number of viewers, it recorded the highest peak viewing in Prime Video's history in Japan," said Takashi Kodama, country director, Prime Video Japan. "We extend our gratitude to all the athletes who participated, the dedicated individuals in the boxing industry who made the event possible, and everyone who tuned in to the livestream on Prime Video. Building on this success, we are thrilled to announce Prime Video Presents Live Boxing 9. This time, we focus on Tenshin Nasukawa's fourth boxing match against the world number four contender and the Bantamweight division dominated by Japanese fighters, featuring Junto Nakatani's title defense. With Japanese fighters holding the Bantamweight championships of four major organizations, Nasukawa and Nakatani stand as pivotal figures in the future of the sport. Additionally, Kosei Tanaka, the reigning four-weight champion from Prime Video Presents Live Boxing 7, will defend his title. Furthermore, Riku Kano and Anthony Olascuaga will vie for the WBO World Flyweight Title, promising an exhilarating lineup. We are committed to bringing you the forefront of the boxing scene, currently in full swing, so we hope everyone will enjoy Prime Video Presents Live Boxing."

"Prime Video Presents Live Boxing 8 was recently held at Tokyo Dome for the first time in 34 years. Thanks to the large number of viewers, it recorded the highest peak viewing in Prime Video's history in Japan," said Takashi Kodama, country director, Prime Video Japan. "We would like to take this opportunity to express our deepest gratitude to all the athletes who participated in the event, to everyone involved in the boxing industry who worked tirelessly to make it happen, and to all Prime members who watched the livestreaming on Prime Video. With the momentum still strong, we have decided to hold Prime Video Presents Live Boxing 9. This time, Tenshin Nasukawa, in his fourth boxing match against the world's fourth-ranked boxer, will be featured, along with Junto Nakatani, a high-profile fighter in the bantamweight division dominated by Japanese fighters, and Kosei Tanaka, who achieved the fastest four-weight championship in the world in Prime Video Presents Live Boxing 7, defending their titles in a double defense match against each other. Additionally, Riku Kano and Anthony Olascuaga will compete for the WBO World Flyweight Title, making for an impressive card. We believe that this event will showcase the forefront of the current boxing scene, where many new world champions are emerging from Japan in each weight class, and where talented rivals are competing fiercely. We hope everyone will enjoy Prime Video Presents Live Boxing 9."

"I am very pleased to announce Prime Video Presents Live Boxing 9," said Tsuyoshi Hamada, president of Teiken Gym. "This event marks Tenshin Nasukawa's fourth boxing match, where he will face a world-ranked opponent. It promises to be a challenging bout, but we have every confidence in his ability to overcome this obstacle and continue his journey towards the world title. In addition, we have two Japanese world champions defending their titles: Junto Nakatani, one of the four Japanese Bantamweight World Champions, and Kosei Tanaka, the recent winner of the World Super Flyweight title. Furthermore, we are excited to present the WBO World Flyweight title fight between Riku Kano and Anthony Olascuaga, rounding out a spectacular lineup of world-class matches. We hope everyone to experience the excitement of Prime Video Presents Live Boxing 9."

Highlights of Prime Video Presents Live Boxing 9

Tenshin Nasukawa vs. Jonathan Rodriguez Bantamweight World Ranker Showdown

Tenshin Nasukawa made his debut as a professional boxer in April of last year, securing a sixth-round decision victory over Japan's second-ranked Yuuki Yonaha. In his second fight in September, he faced a Mexican national champion and secured a dominant eighth-round decision victory, despite missing out on a knockout. In January of this year, Nasukawa achieved a TKO victory over Luis Robles, a world-ranked Bantamweight ranked fourteenth in the WBA and WBO, in the third round. Currently, Nasukawa is ranked in the top 15 in Japan, Oriental Pacific, and WBO Asia Pacific tournaments. With three wins, including one by KO, Nasukawa holds the seventh position in the WBA, the tenth position in the WBO, and the thirteenth position in the WBC rankings. This upcoming bout will mark his first 10-round fight. His opponent Rodriguez made his professional debut in 2018 and has since accumulated a record of 20 fights, including 17 wins (seven by KO), two losses, and one draw over the span of six years. Last November, he faced Khalid Yafai, the former WBA World Super Flyweight Champion, who was ranked fourth in the WBA World Bantamweight division at the time. Rodriguez secured a first-round KO victory after knocking Yafai down twice with a long right hook and other strikes. In February of this year, he fought against Antonio Vargas, a world-ranked fighter, and although he knocked Vargas down in the first round, he ultimately lost by TKO in the seventh round after being knocked down twice himself. This time it will be a rematch for him.

Will the fast-growing southpaw Nasukawa, who has developed a powerful punch in addition to the outstanding speed and reflexes he has shown since his kickboxing days, win by KO as he did in the previous fight, or will Rodriguez show the determination of a top ranked fighter?

Junto Nakatani intercepts a highly dangerous named challenger

The match between Junto Nakatani and Vincent Astrolabio will be designated as the WBC match. Nakatani is a versatile and powerful fighter who can effectively engage at any distance - long, medium, or short. He has demonstrated his skill in two world bouts overseas. In the WBO World Super Flyweight Championship last May, he knocked out Andrew Maloney, a former WBA champion, with a single left hook in the final twelfth rounds, earning him the title of "Best KO of the Year" by several media outlets. Additionally, in February of this year, he also toyed with Alejandro Santiago (Mexico), who is known for his toughness and has a win over Nonito Donaire (Philippines), a fighter who fought hard against Naoya Inoue, and took him down twice to win by TKO in the sixth round to win his third world title following the Flyweight and Super Flyweight titles. The challenger Astrolabio was relatively unknown until three years ago, but swiftly ascended to the top of the world rankings. He achieved this by defeating two-weight champion Guillermo Rigondeaux in February 2022 by a tenth round decision. In his subsequent fight, he defeated IBF number three Nikolai Potapov (Russia) in six rounds. While he narrowly lost to Jason Maloney for the WBO World Bantamweight title in May last year, he rebounded three months later with a TKO victory over Nawaphon Sor Rungvisai in the eleventh round, securing his position as the WBC challenger. Astrolabio is a right-handed fighter known for his straightforward approach, making him a formidable opponent.

Kosei Tanaka, a four weight-division champion, fights with Rodriguez, an aggressive fighter, for his first defense

Kosei Tanaka, who secured the vacant WBO World Super Flyweight Title by defeating Christian Bacasegua (Mexico) with a decisive victory in February, marking his fourth title across weight classes, will be making his inaugural defense. Tanaka's ascent through the ranks has been rapid, clinching the WBO World Minimum Weight title in just his fifth professional fight, followed by victories for the WBO World Light Flyweight title in his eighth bout and the WBO World Flyweight title in his twelfth contest. However, in December 2020, his momentum was halted by an eighth-round TKO loss to WBO World Super Flyweight champion Kazuto Ioka (Japan). Undeterred, he bounced back with five consecutive wins, including the recent bout against Bacasegua. Jonathan Rodriguez, also known as "Titan," boasts a professional record of 28 fights, with 25 wins (including 17 KOs) and two losses over his nine-year career. One of his defeats occurred three years ago when he challenged for the IBF World Super Flyweight title held by Jerwin Ancajas (Philippines); despite being knocked down in the eighth round, he persevered, ultimately losing by a 3-0 decision. After reclaiming his form and securing victory in four consecutive bouts, he fought to a 10-round draw with four-time world challenger Israel Gonzalez of Mexico in July of last year. This marks his return to the ring after a year-long hiatus.

Riku Kano and Anthony Olascuaga have risen from the ashes. Which will be crowned first?

The matchup for the WBO World Flyweight Title between Riku Kano and Anthony Olascuaga is also noteworthy. This title was vacated by Jesse Rodriguez (USA) to move up to Super Flyweight. Kano, ranked the number one, will be challenging for the title for the first time in eight years, and Olascuaga, ranked the number two, will be challenging for the title for the first time in one year and three months since his match against Kenshiro Teraji (Japan) in April last year. Kano made an impressive start to his professional career, winning the WBO Asia Pacific Minimum Weight title in just his fifth fight after debuting in Japan. In his subsequent bout, he challenged Katsunari Takayama (Japan) for the WBO World Minimum Weight title, aiming to become the youngest champion in the world, but lost by decision after six rounds. Despite facing two setbacks since then, he has consistently demonstrated resilience. Managed by the JBC, he boasts a record of 21 fights, including 17 wins (eight by KO), three losses, and one draw. Olascuaga, on the other hand, transitioned to professional boxing in September 2020 following an amateur career. Over the course of four years, he has competed in seven fights, securing six victories (including four by KO) and suffering one loss. His sole defeat came against Teraji last April, a TKO loss following a spirited exchange of blows that lasted until the ninth round. He returned to Japan last September and secured a TKO victory in the seventh round against Giemel Magramo (Philippines), a former world challenger.

Prime Video Presents Live Boxing 9 Overview

Launch Date: July 20, 2024 (Saturday)

*The order of matches has not yet been determined

• The WBC World Bantamweight Title Match

Junto Nakatani (Japan) vs. Vincent Astrolabio (Philippines)

• The WBO World Super Flyweight Title Match

Kosei Tanaka (Japan) vs. Jonathan Rodriguez (Mexico)

• The WBO World Flyweight Title Match

Riku Kano (Japan) vs. Anthony Olascuaga (USA)

• The Special Attraction

Tenshin Nasukawa (Japan) vs. Jonathan Rodriguez (USA)

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