In disappointing news for fans of thrill-a-minute Japanese warrior Kosei Tanaka, it’s been confirmed that Tanaka’s 115-pound WBO title defense against Jonathan Rodriguez was all set for tomorrow on the big card in Tokyo, Japan, is off due to Rodriguez blowing the weight – and we mean blowing the weight. Rodriguez was nowhere close to making the 115-pound limit, with him instead coming in at a massively over-weight 121.25 pounds.
Champ Tanaka made weight fine, with him coming in at a fraction below 115. Rodriguez declined the opportunity to try to make weight two hours after his initial attempt. Now the bad guy of the promotion, Rodriguez is likely to face disciplinary action from the Japanese Commission. Almost seven pounds above fighting weight is just about indefensible.
Tanaka, one of the most consistently exciting lower-weight fighters operating today, is understandably upset. He posted a message saying as much, and he also stated that he will “now be appearing in the ring with a microphone instead of gloves” tomorrow.
Tanaka, 20-1(11) and beaten only by the superb Kazuto Ioka, was to have made the first defense of the WBO super flyweight title he won in February with a decision over Christian Bacasegua. Tanaka is a four-weight world champion, and it’s a real shame that the blend of action, drama, and slugfest action he regularly puts on display will now be missing from tomorrow’s card.
The other two world title fights are worth tuning in for, with the excellent Junto Nakatini defending his WBC 118-pound belt against Vincent Astrolabio. Nakatini, now on some pound-for-pound lists and deservedly so, is 27-0(20), while Astrolabio of the Philippines is 19-4(14). Nakatini is an exceptional fighter.
In the second world title fight, Riku Kano will face Anthony Olascuaga for the vacant WBO flyweight title. Kano is 22-4-2(11), while Olascuaga is just 6-1(4). Also, Tenshin Nasukawa, 3-0(1), will square off with another Jonathan Rodriguez from Puerto Rico in a supporting feature. Rodriguez is currently 17-2-1(7).
All in all, this is a good card that would have been even better had the extremely watchable Tanaka been in action as scheduled.
