1 00:00:03,879 --> 00:00:07,360 Speaker 1: Now we segue to what will happen this weekend in Riod, 2 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:12,880 Saudi Arabia for the riad season night of the Samurai 3 00:00:12,960 --> 00:00:17,160 Boxing Card. Again Naoya the monster in a way, arguably 4 00:00:17,199 --> 00:00:20,079 the best pound for pound fighter in the sport. I 5 00:00:20,120 --> 00:00:22,480 know the Terrence Crawford fans will argue, I know the 6 00:00:22,519 --> 00:00:25,519 Alexander Usik fans will argue, but the in away fans 7 00:00:25,519 --> 00:00:28,399 are arguing the same way. Four belt champion at one 8 00:00:28,440 --> 00:00:30,320 hundred and twenty two pounds. He's in the main event 9 00:00:30,399 --> 00:00:35,000 fighting Alan David Picasso. Now in the co feature fight, 10 00:00:35,159 --> 00:00:40,240 his countryman, Junto Nakatani, former bandamweight world champion, is fighting 11 00:00:40,280 --> 00:00:45,280 Sebastian Hernandez in what is essentially a tune up fight 12 00:00:45,399 --> 00:00:48,719 at the higher division to potentially fight in a way 13 00:00:48,759 --> 00:00:51,799 down the road if not next. So Dan's gonna talk 14 00:00:51,840 --> 00:00:55,840 now with Nakatani, and through the magic of radio and 15 00:00:56,000 --> 00:00:59,880 editing and the effort, you're gonna hear Dan ask the questions, 16 00:01:00,240 --> 00:01:03,200 and obviously, in the context of the interview, Nakatani speaks 17 00:01:03,399 --> 00:01:06,599 very little English at all, the interpreter would re ask 18 00:01:06,640 --> 00:01:10,879 the question in Spanish, all I'm sorry in Japanese, and 19 00:01:11,239 --> 00:01:15,599 then Nakatani would answer in Japanese, and then the interpreter 20 00:01:15,640 --> 00:01:19,480 would answer Dan's question in English. What we've done, what 21 00:01:19,560 --> 00:01:23,120 I've done. By editing this, you'll faintly hear Nakatani answering. 22 00:01:23,159 --> 00:01:25,560 I can verify, and when we put this up on 23 00:01:25,599 --> 00:01:28,599 the YouTube page, you'll see it na Katani's answering the questions. 24 00:01:28,640 --> 00:01:30,840 But it does nobody any good that doesn't speak Japanese 25 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:34,079 to have that. You'll hear the interpreter Moto giving you 26 00:01:34,200 --> 00:01:37,359 the answers in English to Dan's question, to give you 27 00:01:37,480 --> 00:01:41,920 Nakatani's answers. So now enjoy this for a good seven 28 00:01:41,959 --> 00:01:46,439 minutes or so, Dan interviewing Junto Nakatani. He did this 29 00:01:47,120 --> 00:01:50,239 back a few days ago before Nakatani left Japan to 30 00:01:50,280 --> 00:01:54,159 fly to Saudi Arabia. Let's get that conversation in now 31 00:01:54,319 --> 00:01:55,200 on the recap pot. 32 00:01:55,879 --> 00:01:58,280 Speaker 2: But is my great pleasure to be joined from Japan, 33 00:01:59,040 --> 00:02:02,439 Junto Nakatani, the former three division world champion now moving 34 00:02:02,519 --> 00:02:04,879 up in waight, Junto, welcome to the show. You have 35 00:02:04,920 --> 00:02:07,359 a big fight coming up in Saudi Arabia, will be 36 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:10,400 taken on Sebastian Hernandez will be your first fight in 37 00:02:10,439 --> 00:02:14,039 the junior featherweight division. So welcome and thank you. We're 38 00:02:14,080 --> 00:02:16,800 gonna get some help from the translitter Moto. So Moto, 39 00:02:16,840 --> 00:02:20,120 thanks for doing your thing today. Thank you are very 40 00:02:20,120 --> 00:02:23,199 good motoves. You could ask Himbout. Just as I mentioned, 41 00:02:23,199 --> 00:02:28,080 he has won world titles in three divisions flyweight, junior, 42 00:02:28,080 --> 00:02:30,319 band and weight. He had unified the titles at bandam weight. 43 00:02:30,639 --> 00:02:33,759 Now he's vacated those bantamweight titles to move up to 44 00:02:33,759 --> 00:02:36,599 the junior featherweight division to fight this fight with Hernandez 45 00:02:37,360 --> 00:02:39,479 on the night of the Samurai pay per view card 46 00:02:40,360 --> 00:02:43,319 in Riad, Saudi Arabia. And I'm wondering what went into 47 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:47,960 his decision to move up and wait? Was it problems 48 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:50,759 with the weight? Was it the fact that he just 49 00:02:50,840 --> 00:02:53,120 wanted to go for another title in another weight class? 50 00:02:53,639 --> 00:02:55,840 Was it the attraction of Noya in a way being 51 00:02:55,840 --> 00:02:56,800 in that weight class? 52 00:02:57,639 --> 00:03:04,400 Speaker 3: Okay, as my weight control was getting difficult, so that 53 00:03:04,639 --> 00:03:08,520 was the one reason I move up to the superbentum. 54 00:03:09,360 --> 00:03:12,800 But at the same time, of course, in a way 55 00:03:13,520 --> 00:03:19,520 is in that rank, so that's another reason I move 56 00:03:19,599 --> 00:03:21,439 up to super Benten. 57 00:03:22,919 --> 00:03:25,240 Speaker 2: So of course that is part of the story of 58 00:03:25,280 --> 00:03:28,120 what goes on with this card. In a Way is 59 00:03:28,159 --> 00:03:31,199 in the main event, Juno is in the co feature. 60 00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:34,439 I wonder how does he stay focused on taking care 61 00:03:34,479 --> 00:03:37,919 of business against Hernandez knowing that if he wins and 62 00:03:37,960 --> 00:03:40,039 if in a Way is the winner, that the plans 63 00:03:40,039 --> 00:03:42,319 are to do this huge mega fight in the spring 64 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:46,000 at the Tokyo Dome where him having the opportunity to 65 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:49,560 become the undisputed champion at one hundred and twenty two pounds. 66 00:03:50,879 --> 00:03:54,639 Speaker 3: Okay, So through my career, I always value the fight 67 00:03:54,759 --> 00:03:57,919 in front of me. Every fight is very important to me, 68 00:03:58,520 --> 00:04:04,080 and if I do my and win the fight, then 69 00:04:04,639 --> 00:04:10,199 I will see the next scene after. So right now 70 00:04:10,199 --> 00:04:14,080 it's always concentrating the fight in front. 71 00:04:18,680 --> 00:04:22,199 Speaker 2: And so if he emerges with the victory against Hernandez, 72 00:04:22,639 --> 00:04:24,759 is the plan is he just gonna kind of come 73 00:04:24,800 --> 00:04:27,560 back out the ringside and relax and see what happens 74 00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:29,399 in the inn a a fight and then maybe face 75 00:04:29,439 --> 00:04:30,720 off with them afterwards if he wins. 76 00:04:30,759 --> 00:04:36,800 Speaker 3: Also by the time, I'd love to uh see his fight. 77 00:04:38,360 --> 00:04:41,560 Speaker 2: I wonder when the idea of facing in a Way 78 00:04:41,920 --> 00:04:44,839 came to him a house. At what point did it 79 00:04:44,879 --> 00:04:48,040 become a serious thing for him? Because they were separated 80 00:04:48,079 --> 00:04:51,959 by some weight at different times, and so uh you know, 81 00:04:51,959 --> 00:04:54,079 when to become a big deal for him? And and how 82 00:04:54,199 --> 00:04:56,639 closely has he followed in a way his career. 83 00:04:57,240 --> 00:05:02,480 Speaker 3: Okay, so what night became the champion Dana? Uh I 84 00:05:02,519 --> 00:05:07,399 thought the fighting against you now where it becomes uh serious, 85 00:05:07,519 --> 00:05:11,079 real thing to me? And after that? Uh, I've been 86 00:05:11,120 --> 00:05:17,480 watching his fights, uh actually actual fights, and that's always 87 00:05:18,199 --> 00:05:23,000 think about him as an opponent. So you come up. 88 00:05:26,759 --> 00:05:29,000 Speaker 2: Do they know each other, they have any kind of relationship? 89 00:05:30,240 --> 00:05:31,040 Speaker 3: No, not really. 90 00:05:31,959 --> 00:05:34,759 Speaker 2: Okay. A lot of people say that he's already in 91 00:05:34,839 --> 00:05:38,000 a way the greatest Japanese boxer of all time, and uh, 92 00:05:38,120 --> 00:05:40,920 I wonder you know, does he think that and how 93 00:05:40,959 --> 00:05:44,120 does he see himself eventually matching up with him? 94 00:05:44,439 --> 00:05:48,439 Speaker 3: Yes, I know he's a great fighter, but uh myself, 95 00:05:49,360 --> 00:05:53,120 I wanted to be called as a great fighter as well. 96 00:05:53,800 --> 00:06:01,199 So then winning against him, uh, that's a mob that 97 00:06:01,360 --> 00:06:05,639 makes me the greatest spiders. So that's that's kind of 98 00:06:05,639 --> 00:06:08,519 motivation I have right now. 99 00:06:09,759 --> 00:06:11,480 Speaker 2: Okay, Well, before all of that, he's got to fight 100 00:06:11,480 --> 00:06:13,800 Sabash and Hernandez. That's the fight that's coming up. So 101 00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:17,160 I wonder if you could ask him you know, what 102 00:06:17,240 --> 00:06:19,439 does he know about him? He is undefeated, so there's 103 00:06:19,480 --> 00:06:21,800 that he hasn't really faced a lot of opponents. Are 104 00:06:21,800 --> 00:06:24,279 really only just one opponent I think that people might know, 105 00:06:24,319 --> 00:06:27,959 and that's Asavinissian. So when he thinks about him, what 106 00:06:28,079 --> 00:06:29,800 is what is this take on his opponent? 107 00:06:31,720 --> 00:06:36,120 Speaker 3: Okay, so he has a strong punch, a hot punch, 108 00:06:36,759 --> 00:06:40,839 and he's very tough. So that's the scores. I always 109 00:06:41,079 --> 00:06:44,360 considered that and why I'm training. 110 00:06:46,240 --> 00:06:48,199 Speaker 2: So this fight is going to take place in Riad, 111 00:06:48,240 --> 00:06:52,680 Saudi Arabia. He has fought in America twice. All the 112 00:06:52,720 --> 00:06:54,160 rest of the fights have been in Japan. I'm wondering 113 00:06:54,240 --> 00:06:56,519 what is his perspective, his thoughts about going all the 114 00:06:56,519 --> 00:06:58,759 way to Saudi Arabia to have his first fight in 115 00:06:58,800 --> 00:06:59,360 the Middle East. 116 00:07:00,399 --> 00:07:09,000 Speaker 3: Well, actually, I like to go to fight, and in 117 00:07:09,040 --> 00:07:12,839 this time Saudi Arabia. I'm so excited to be there, 118 00:07:13,360 --> 00:07:20,879 and that's I'm expecting to have a new crowd. I 119 00:07:20,920 --> 00:07:25,279 want to make sure to satisfy him. I want to 120 00:07:26,040 --> 00:07:29,680 I want to fight so other people who satisfy my fight. 121 00:07:30,759 --> 00:07:32,199 Speaker 2: All right, we I'll just wrap up with one more 122 00:07:32,240 --> 00:07:34,199 question that we've been talking a lot about the possibility 123 00:07:34,600 --> 00:07:36,920 of this fight against anyway, you know, as long as 124 00:07:36,959 --> 00:07:40,680 they're the winners come December twenty seventh. It is spoken 125 00:07:40,720 --> 00:07:44,879 by boxing fans, by people in Japan other reporters that 126 00:07:45,040 --> 00:07:47,480 if they get together in this big fight in the spring, 127 00:07:47,879 --> 00:07:49,920 it's going to be the biggest all Japanese fight in 128 00:07:49,920 --> 00:07:51,800 the history of boxing. There's been a lot of great 129 00:07:51,879 --> 00:07:54,319 champions that have come from Japan, and some of them 130 00:07:54,319 --> 00:07:56,600 been fought each other. What is he when he when 131 00:07:56,600 --> 00:07:58,800 he hears that, it's like a big thing, Like what 132 00:07:58,920 --> 00:08:01,079 is his thought about? Like, Oh, my goodness, I might 133 00:08:01,120 --> 00:08:03,439 be in maybe the biggest fight in the history of 134 00:08:03,439 --> 00:08:05,639 my country for so much at stake, with the undisputed 135 00:08:05,680 --> 00:08:11,040 title and then undefeated records. 136 00:08:11,199 --> 00:08:11,399 Speaker 1: Coy. 137 00:08:12,120 --> 00:08:18,759 Speaker 3: Yes, great honor to be part of it, and you 138 00:08:18,800 --> 00:08:27,920 know so I'm really exciting and uh enjoying you might 139 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:32,840 like you and and of course this opportunity. I have 140 00:08:32,919 --> 00:08:36,559 to make sure it's going to be on my career 141 00:08:36,919 --> 00:08:41,279 and step back over the next le That's what I 142 00:08:41,320 --> 00:08:42,039 feel about it. 143 00:08:43,120 --> 00:08:44,759 Speaker 2: All right, very good, I thank you very much for 144 00:08:44,759 --> 00:08:47,639 your time. Jento, best of luck to you on December 145 00:08:47,639 --> 00:08:50,600 twenty seventh against Hernandez, and if all goes well, the 146 00:08:50,639 --> 00:08:52,240 world will be watching you and in a way if 147 00:08:52,240 --> 00:08:54,480 he wins also, so thank you very much and best 148 00:08:54,519 --> 00:08:57,360 of luck. Thank you very much, appreciate you. 149 00:08:58,519 --> 00:09:02,480 Speaker 1: Night of the Samurai upcoming Saturday from Riod again in 150 00:09:02,600 --> 00:09:05,480 a way is the main event. Expected to win and 151 00:09:05,519 --> 00:09:08,240 probably win by knockout. It would be a fourth victory 152 00:09:08,279 --> 00:09:11,320 for him this year if he gets it coming up 153 00:09:11,320 --> 00:09:13,879 and again Junto Nakatani maybe the next fight. And thanks 154 00:09:13,919 --> 00:09:18,720 again to everybody involved with Junto Nakatani to helped that 155 00:09:18,799 --> 00:09:22,679 interview happen. Moto the translator, we say publicly again thank 156 00:09:22,720 --> 00:09:25,720 you to him for making it happen and we brought 157 00:09:25,720 --> 00:09:27,720 it to you here on the audio pod. Not the 158 00:09:27,759 --> 00:09:30,679 easiest thing in the world to get questions the Japanese 159 00:09:30,840 --> 00:09:34,000 asked and then answered and then have it be coherent 160 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:36,559 on an audio podcast. We got it done. We got 161 00:09:36,600 --> 00:09:39,720 it done here on this edition of the show.