Top-ranked World Boxing Organization super flyweight Junto Nakatani of M.T Boxing Gym held a public training in Las Vegas, Nevada on May17 local time before his clash with second-ranked Andrew Moloney of Australia at MGM Grand Garden Arena for the vacant WBO super flyweight title on May 20 (21 Japan time).

The left-handed Nakatani, 25, displayed shadowboxing on the specially built ring at MGM Grand Hotel’s Casino before many onlookers. He was quoted by the gym as saying, ‘’I was able to do my training relaxed amid many customers as many of them cheered me up. I felt a sense of excitement.’’

Nakatani, a former WBO world flyweight champion, visited Los Angeles at the end of March for full-fledged training there and entered Las Vegas on May 16.

The WBO super bantamweight title was left vacant by Nakatani’s compatriot Kazuto Ioka of Shisei Boxing Gym. Moloney, 32, was then selected as Nakatani’s opponent for the title.

The undefeated Nakatani has 24 straight wins, including 18 knockouts, while Moloney has a 25-2 win-loss tally with 16 KOs with one no contest.

Mark Nelson of the United States, who served as the referee for last month’s hard-fought title fight in Tokyo between World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association light flyweight champion Kenshiro Teraji of B.M.B. Boxing Gym and Anthony Olascuaga of the United States, will serve as the referee.

The Nakatani-Moloney fight will serve as the chief supporting card for the world lightweight title match between the unified champion Devin Haney of the United States and former three-division world kingpin Vasyl Lomachenko of Ukraine. Photo by M.T Boxing Gym