Despite being just two fights into his professional career, Japan’s Reito Tsutsumi is no stranger to big events, having competed in New York City’s Times Square and Queens’ Louis Armstrong Stadium. But the 22-year-old does admit that he was a little taken aback when approached about a September 13 fight in Las Vegas on the Canelo Alvarez-Terence Crawford undercard.
“At first, I was surprised, but I immediately thought, ‘I want to take it,’” he said through translator Yosuke Kaneko.
So he’s ready for 60,000-plus fans in Allegiant Stadium when he meets Javier Martinez?
“Of course, I’m ready,” Tsutsumi beams, not at all exhibiting the response you would expect from a rookie in the pro game fighting far from his home in Chiba.