Former IBF bantamweight champion Ryosuke Nishida will begin the next chapter of his career at junior featherweight when he faces Bryan Mercado in an IBF title eliminator on February 15 in Osaka, Japan.
The fight marks Nishida’s first appearance at 122lbs following the end of his 15-month reign as IBF 118lbs titleholder. Nishida (10-1, 2 KOs) last fought in June, when he suffered the lone defeat of his career in a sixth-round stoppage loss to Junto Nakatani in their IBF/WBO unification bout in Tokyo. Speaking alongside head trainer Kosuke Takeichi, Nishida stated his goal clearly: to become a world champion once again.
Mercado (32-1, 26 KOs) represents an immediate and dangerous test at the higher weight. The 30-year-old from Mexico City has won 31 consecutive fights since losing a split decision in his second professional bout and has stopped 11 of his last 12 opponents. He enters the contest off an eighth-round stoppage victory on November 8 in Puebla and will be fighting outside Mexico for the first time.
Nishida captured the IBF bantamweight title in May 2024 with a unanimous decision win over Emmanuel Rodriguez in Osaka and made one successful defense, stopping unbeaten Anuchai Donsua in seven rounds last December.
With the IBF junior featherweight title picture in flux, Nishida chose to jump straight into an eliminator to accelerate his path back to the top. Original plans for a bout with Jerwin Ancajas fell through, leaving Mercado as the highest-ranked available challenger. A victory would place Nishida firmly in line for another world title opportunity at 122lbs.
Fight card:
▪️Ryosuke Nishida vs. Bryan Mercado Vazquez, 12 rounds, super bantamweight
▪️Kaito Yamasaki vs. Mugicha Nakagawa, 10 rounds, for the vacant OPBF super bantamweight title
▪️Min Ho Jung vs. Shuma Nakazato, 10 rounds, for the vacant OPBF lightweight title
▪️Juiki Tatsuyoshi vs. Shoki Yamauchi, 8 rounds, super bantamweight
▪️Keisuke Iwasaki vs. Yutthichai Wannawong, 8 rounds, flyweight
