TOKYO - Japan's undisputed super bantamweight world champion Naoya Inoue said Thursday his next bout will take place "around March" and implied the opponent would be American Jesse Rodriguez should it become a title defense.
Attending an event in Tokyo to look back on his epic battle in May with compatriot Junto Nakatani, Inoue also told reporters that he would move up a class and fight a featherweight title bout straight away if the title defense does not materialize.
"We're yet to reach a final decision (on the opponent). It's about time," the 33-year-old said. "It'd be the rumored opponent (in case of a title defense)."
Inoue is 33-0 with 27 knockout wins in his career, while the 26-year-old WBA bantamweight super champion Rodriguez is 24-0 with 17 KOs. Rodriguez will need to move up a category to face Inoue.
"The Monster" Inoue will be hoping to conquer his fifth division should his next bout take him to featherweight.
"I'm working with that in sight," Inoue said. "I'll definitely challenge it eventually, and make it my main battlefield for the second half of my career."
"As has been the case so far, I won't be having a warm-up match and go for the title directly."
