Junto Nakatani-David Cuellar, Seiya Tsutsumi-Daigo Higa II set for February 24 on ESPN+

WBC bantamweight titleholder Junto Nakatani will fight undefeated David Cuellar on February 24 at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, according to a Top Rank announcement.

The bout will be telecast on ESPN+ in the United States.

The event will also feature WBA bantamweight titleholder Seiya Tsutsumi making the first defense of his title against Daigo Higa; and undefeated bantamweight contender Tenshin Nasukawa facing former titleholder Jason Moloney in a 10-round fight.

Nakatani, 28, from Japan, fought three times in 2024, winning each by knockout. He stopped Alexandro Santiago to win the WBC title, then stopped Vincent Astrolabio in one round, followed by a sixth round knockout of Tasana Salapat. Nakatani holds a record of 29-0 (22 KOs).

Cuellar, who hails from Mexico, is 28-0 (18 KOs). This will be his first title fight. Cuellar fought twice in 2024, winning both bouts by unanimous decision. His most notable victory came in October 2023, stopping Luis Concepcion in eight rounds.

Tsutsumi, 29, and Higa, also 29, will be fighting in a rematch. Their first meeting ended in a draw in 2020. Tsutsumi is now 12-0-2 (8 KOs) and enters on a seven-fight win streak. He defeated Takuma Inoue by unanimous decision in October to capture the WBA belt.

Higa holds a record of 21-3 (19 KOs) and is coming off a loss to WBO bantamweight titleholder Yoshiki Takei in September. Both fighters are from Tokyo.

Nasukawa, 26, will be facing the first former titleholder of his career. The Tokyo resident holds a record of 5-0 (2 KOs). He turned pro in April 2023 and has been active to start his career.

Moloney enters with a record of 27-3 (19 KOs). He lost a split decision to then-titleholder Emmanuel Rodriguez in 2018, was knocked out by then-titleholder Naoya Inoue in 2020, but picked up the vacant WBO belt in May 2023 with a majority decision over Vincent Astrolabio. However, Moloney lost the title in his second defense, dethroned by Takei in May.