By Joe Koizumi
There will be another world title bout in Japan prior to the sensational encounter of Monster Naoya Inoue and Luis Pantera Nery on this coming May 6. Just two days before the super fight at Tokyo Dome. IBF bantamweight champ Emmanuel Rodriguez (22-2, 13 KOs), from Puerto Rico, arrived on Tuesday night in Osaka, Japan. He will face IBF#1 Ryosuke Nishida (8-0, 1 KO) at Edion Arena Osaka on May 4. Rodriguez reportedly stayed at a high altitude for four months in Mexico and directly came to Japan without returning his native Puerto Rico. The champ confidently said, “It’s hard for Nishida to beat me due to the difference of experience. I’m in very excellent shape after two hundred sparring sessions in Mexico.” Nishida may have a southpaw speedster’s chance.
Could be a good fight. Nishida obviously doesn’t have much power, but he’s a tricky and skilled southpaw.
Nishida might be special given what he’s done so early in his career and he will need to be to beat Rodriguez after only eight fights.