We had been hoping The Ring’s top two rated bantamweights, WBC bantamweight titleholder Junto Nakatani and IBF counterpart Ryosuke Nishida would meet in a unification that would also crown a Ring champion at 118-pounds.

In fact, both fighters greeted each other after Nakatani's recent win over David Cuellar and a June date was mooted.

However, Nishida had a mandatory defense looming against unbeaten Jose Salas and that will take precedence. The two will meet in Tokyo, Japan, on May 28.

Sources connected to Nishida said that all being well the unification with Nakatani could take place in the fall.

That would also presumably allow Nakatani the opportunity to defend his title in the summer before both meet in the fall.

Nishida (10-0, 2 knockouts), rated at No. 2 by The Ring at bantamweight, turned professional in 2019 and in just his third outing he beat former world title challenger Shohei Omari (UD 8). The tall 28-year-old southpaw followed that by dominating former WBC flyweight titlist Daigo Higa (UD 12).

A wrist injury in his next fight saw him spend an extended period on the sidelines. After a full recovery, he continued his assent beating Mexico’s Christian Medina (UD 12) in an IBF eliminator and then Emmanuel Rodriguez (UD 12) to become IBF titleholder. In his maiden defense he stopped Anuchai Donsua (TKO 7).

Salas (15-0, 10 KOs) turned professional in the fall of 2020. The 22-year-old from Tijuana native notched 11 wins in Mexico before getting the opportunity to fight in America, where best bested previously unbeaten Prince Dzania (UD 12).

The southpaw stopped former world title challenger Aston Palicte (TKO 4) on the undercard of Terence Crawford-Errol Spence Jr. in Las Vegas but "El Chapulin" returned to Mexico to turn back a pair of mid-level opponents.

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