Junto Nakatani didn’t have to look very far to line up his next potential fight.

The Ring’s No. 1 bantamweight was joined in the ring by countryman and fellow titlist Ryosuke Nishida after his latest win. Nakatani (30-0, 23 KOs) made quick work of Mexico’s David Cuellar (28-1, 18 KOs), The Ring’s No. 8 bantamweight who was knocked out at the end of the third round of their WBC title fight Monday evening at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan.

Discussion immediately turned to what was next for The Ring’s No. 9 (and rising) pound-for-pound fighter. Normally one to defer to his team, Nakatani didn’t waste any time or mince his words.

“After my last fight, I asked who's next,” Nakatani said through in-ring translator Mizuka Koike. “This time—Nishida, let's fight.”

The command drew a rise out of the capacity crowd on hand and a smile from his targeted foe.

“Yes, let’s go ahead and do this,” Nishida (10-0, 2 KOs), The Ring’s No. 2 bantamweight and reigning IBF titlist, politely but firmly replied. “I would love that fight.”

Nakatani, a 27-year-old southpaw from Sagamihara, celebrated his one-year anniversary as WBC bantamweight titlist on Monday. The win over Cuellar marked his fourth consecutive knockout.

Osaka’s Nishida, 28, dethroned Emmanuel Rodriguez (22-3, 13 KOs) for the IBF belt last May 4 and has made one successful defense.

Such a clash would come with The Ring championship at stake, given their placement as the publication’s two highest rated bantamweights. The bout would also represent just the fourth-ever unification bout between two reigning titlists from Japan.

Nakatani outgrew both flyweight and junior bantamweight before he could pick up more than one belt in either division. His determination once he moved to 118 last year was to stick around until he becomes undisputed champion.

That goal remains very much in place, more so than immediately moving up for an all-Japan super fight. Much has been made about a colossal showdown with four-division champ and The Ring/undisputed junior featherweight king Naoya Inoue (29-0, 26 KOs).

Both fighters have been equally dismissive of the fight taking place this year, as they remain on separate journeys for the moment.

Nakatani’s vision has him cleaning out 118 before moving on to what would be the biggest fight in Japan’s rich boxing history. Fittingly, he would also fill the void atop the bantamweight division left behind by Inoue, The Ring's No. 2 pound-for-pound fighter who moved up to junior featherweight in 2023.

“I would love to unify the titles at bantamweight,” insisted Nakatani. “I have a big dream and I plan to move forward with it.”