Shuichiro Yoshino is the latest rising contender to make a splash in the lightweight division.

The unbeaten 31-year-old came out top in a terrific firefight with countryman Masayoshi Nakatani, scoring two knockdown en route to a sixth-round knockout in a battle of Tokyo-based lightweights. Yoshino floored the 5’11 ½” Nakatani in rounds five and six, the latter prompting an immediate stoppage at 1:45 of round six Tuesday evening (local time) at Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.

Nakatani was able to get by early in the fight solely on the strength of his long jab and superior reach. It didn’t take long for Yoshino to work his way inside, clipping his taller countryman with left hooks to the chin.

Time was called in round three, as the ringside physician examined a deep cut under the left eye of Nakatani. The wound was manageable, as action continued. Nakatani briefly adjusted to the relentless pressure of Yoshino, as he committed to a more purposeful jab and also began to work the body in round four. Yoshino drove Nakatani to the ropes, where he landed with right hands downstairs.

Yoshino scored the bout’s lone knockdown, coming at the end of round five which featured terrific two-way action to that point. Nakatani had the wherewithal to bob a left hook but weaved directly into a right hand temple shot which forced him to a knee.

Nakatani made it to his feet and out of the round but was no longer able to keep Yoshino at bay. The two met at center ring in round six, letting their hands go but with Yoshino getting the better of the action. Nakatani was once again floored, this time due to relentless pressure by Yoshino and with referee Toshio Sugiyama deciding that the fight did not need to continue.

Yoshino picks up by far his most significant win to date, as he improves to 16-0 (11KOs). The win makes him a fighter to watch in a jam-packed lightweight division.

“I was facing a guy with a lot of international experience and I showed what I can do,” Yoshino said through a translator after the win. “Now it’s time for me to prove what I can do against those same fighters overseas.”

Nakatani falls to 20-3 (14KOs), with all three defeats coming in his last five fights.

The 33-year-old fringe contender previously only lost to top talents Teofimo Lopez preceding his lightweight championship reign and Vasiliy Lomachenko, whose first fight after losing to Lopez was a ninth-round knockout of Nakatani in Las Vegas.

Headlining the four-fight telecast on ESPN+, Amazon Prime, DAZN and ESPN Knockout, WBC junior flyweight titlist Kenshiro Teraji (19-1, 11KOs) faces countryman and WBA ‘Super’ champ Hiroto Kyoguchi (16-0, 11KOs) in a highly anticipated title unification bout.

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox