Masayoshi Nakatani proved he was more than simply an opponent for greater talents last night. After losing most of the fight and getting off the canvas twice from hard right hands, Nakatani refused to fold and continued to press Verdejo. In the 9th, Nakatani dropped Verdejo with a stiff jab, and finished him seconds later with a clubbing right.
With this win, Nakatani has earned himself plenty of options at Lightweight. Verdejo, however, will have to go back to the drawing board. While his technical discipline seemed to improve and his athleticism shown brilliantly, it appears the Puerto Rican will have problems facing opponents who apply consistent pressure at the elite level.
This upset win stands apart from many of the feature bouts from this weekend. In the Main Event, Shakur Stevenson dominated Toka Kahn Clary with speed and accuracy. Earlier in the evening Anthony Joshua dispose of Pulev in the 9th, settling into a careful rhythm after a fast start. Last weekend saw Errol Spence Jr. masterfully outbox Danny Garcia, creating even more buzz for a fight against Terrence Crawford.
