World Boxing Organization fifth-ranked lightweight Masayoshi Nakatani of Teiken Boxing Gym tipped the scales at 60.9 kgs (134.4 lbs.) and former unified world lightweight triple champion Vasyl Lomachenko of Ukraine weighed in at 61.0 kgs (134.6 lbs.), respectively on June 25 (June 26 Japan time) at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, Nevada for their 12-round lightweight nontitle fight held at the same place on June 26 (27 Japan time).

It will be the 32-year-old Nakatani’s third fights in the United States and his first since attaining a come-from-behind victory over Felix Verdejo of Puerto Rico last December.

For his part, the left-handed Lomachenko, 33, is fighting his first bout since losing the titles to Teofimo Lopez of the U.S. last October at MGM Grand Hotel, Las Vegas.

Lomachenko, an overwhelming prefight favorite, aims to recapture the titles back from Lopez with the fight with Nakatani as a stepping stone.

Nakatani, who is 182cm tall compared with Lomachenko’s 170cm in height, said, ‘’I have just cleared my weigh-in. Though I felt I could reduce my weight easier than previously, losing my weight is not always a happy process. I will try to attain a recovery from my weight reduction efforts by the time of my fight tomorrow.’’

Nakatani, who is also ranked ninth both by the World Boxing Association and the World Boxing Council, respectively and 10th by the International Boxing Federation, has a record of 19 wins, including 13 Knockouts, against a loss (to Lopez in July 2019).

Lomachenko, the gold medalist at 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympics with an incredible 396-1 win-loss record during amateur days, has a 14-2 win-loss tally with 10 KOs as a professional.

Meanwhile, former amateur star Subaru Murata, 24, who also belongs to Teiken gym and will make a professional debut on one of the undercards of the Lomachenko-Nakatani bout, also vowed to win his four-round super bantamweight bout against Keven Monroy of the U.S.　Photo by Mikey Williams / TopRank and by Teiken Boxing Gym