“I’m not gonna sit around waiting for Bam,” Inoue wrote on his X account. “So I’m starting prep for featherweight, too.”

Inoue, The Ring and undisputed junior featherweight champion, and Rodriguez, the WBA bantamweight titlist have been on a collision course to fight and talks for a clash between the two pound-for-pound talents in early 2027 have already taken place.

However, Rodriguez (24-0, 17 KOs) is reportedly on the verge of signing a deal to unify his title with WBO 118-pound champion Christian Medina, likely in December.

Inoue, The Ring’s No. 1-ranked pound-for-pound fighter, was very active in 2025, fighting four times, but will have fought just one time this year once it's over, having secured the biggest victory of his career against compatriot Junto Nakatani in May at Tokyo Dome in Japan.

Rodriguez, The Ring’s No. 4-ranked pound-for-pounder, grabbed a dominant sixth-round stoppage win over Antonio Vargas at Desert Diamond Arena in Phoenix, Arizona, on June 13.

Although Inoue (33-0, 27 KOs) says his patience is being tested, Rodriguez's promoter Eddie Hearn believes there should be no change to the plan, and that a fight between the pair can still happen.

“Who’s waiting?” Hearn wrote on his Instagram account. “You said you are fighting in February/March? We are ready.”

In July, Hearn told The Ring: "DAZN has asked us to start negotiations for that fight. They're very interested in that fight worldwide, particularly in Japan. But it depends when that takes place.

"Bam is going to fight in November or December. He'll most likely unify again. [WBO bantamweight champion Christian] 'Chispa' Medina is a good option. I think that's a great fight.

"We haven't heard anything about the Inoue fight. Everyone keeps talking about that fight. We've publicly stated we're interested in that fight. We want that fight, but we haven't really heard anything."