TOKYO — At a press conference held at a Tokyo hotel on the 25th, Teiken Promotions formally announced that Tenshin Nasukawa (Teiken) will face former two-division world champion Juan Francisco “Gallo” Estrada (Mexico) on Saturday, April 11, at the Ryogoku Kokugikan.
The 12-round contest has been sanctioned by the WBC as a World Bantamweight Title Eliminator between the sanctioning body’s No. 1 ranked Estrada and No. 2 ranked Nasukawa. The winner will become the mandatory challenger for the WBC bantamweight world title, currently held by Takuma Inoue (Ohashi).
For Nasukawa, this serves as a high-stakes comeback bout following his first career defeat last November, a 12-round unanimous decision loss to the aforementioned Takuma Inoue in a bid for the vacant WBC crown. “Fighting and overcoming strong opponents is what combat sports is all about,” said a resolute Nasukawa. “I want to show my true strength by overcoming both myself and my opponent.”
The veteran Estrada, who turns 36 shortly after the fight, will be making his first appearance in Japan. Joining the press conference online from Mexico, “El Gallo” expressed his satisfaction: “I am very pleased to be fighting in Japan for the first time, and I am equally happy that my opponent is Tenshin.”
Broadcasting details for the event will be announced by Prime Video at a later date.
photo/Naoki Fukuda
For Nasukawa, this bout marks his return to the ring after suffering his first professional defeat last November—a unanimous decision loss to Takuma Inoue (Ohashi) in a bid for the vacant WBC Bantamweight title. Despite the high risk of facing a seasoned former champion in a comeback fight, Nasukawa remained resolute. “Fighting and overcoming strong opponents is what combat sports is all about,” he stated firmly. “I intend to stand my ground, defeat both my opponent and my own hesitations, and demonstrate my true strength.”
The 35-year-old Estrada is a household name in the boxing world, having reigned as a world champion in both the flyweight and super flyweight divisions. Over a career spanning nearly 15 years at the elite level, he is best known for his legendary “rivalry series” against greats such as Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez, Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, and Carlos Cuadras. Notably, he holds a 2-1 edge in his trilogy with Gonzalez. Although he suffered a 7th-round KO loss to the rising star Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez (USA) in June 2024, Estrada has since reset his sights on the bantamweight division.
Joining the Tokyo press conference online from Mexico, Estrada expressed his excitement about his Japanese debut. “Above all, I am satisfied to be fighting in Japan for the first time, and I am equally pleased that my opponent is Tenshin,” the veteran remarked. Regarding Nasukawa’s style, Estrada noted, “He has a way of frustrating his opponents and uses ‘showmanship’—as seen in the Takuma fight—to appeal as a professional boxer. I must ensure I don’t get drawn into his pace.” Estrada made it clear that a victory over Nasukawa is the final step toward a world title challenge against Takuma Inoue.
Nasukawa acknowledged the magnitude of the task ahead. “I expect it to be a grueling fight,” he admitted. “But that is exactly why I must win at all costs. I will win this and secure my path to the next title match.” Both men appear focused on a singular goal: a showdown with the reigning champion, Takuma Inoue.
