Amidst all the excitement surrounding boxing stars like Canelo Alvarez and Naoya Inoue during the Cinco De Mayo holiday, Japan’s Ryosuke Nishida also made headlines. Nishida achieved a significant win by defeating the highly respected IBF bantamweight titleholder Emmanuel Rodriguez.
This victory propelled Nishida from No. 9 to No. 2 in the 118-pound division in the most recent Ring ratings. He showcased his skills by knocking down his opponent and enduring Rodriguez’s determined efforts at the EDION Arena Osaka in Osaka this past Saturday.
“To secure the win, I analyzed my opponent’s strengths and weaknesses meticulously and trained accordingly,” shared Nishida (9-0, 1 knockout) with The Ring. “During the bout, I was fully committed to my goal of becoming a world champion, giving my best as I had prepared.”
After a grueling 12 rounds, Nishida, featured in The Ring’s August 2022 New Faces segment, kept his promise and emerged victoriously with scorecards of 117-110 and 115-112 (twice), despite facing a tough challenge.
The determined face of Ryosuke Nishida, ready to conquer the world as the newly-crowned @IBFUSBAboxing Bantamweight champion 🙌🇯🇵. pic.twitter.com/QXTfXTUIIN
— Mike Altamura (@mjaltamura) May 4, 2024
Despite appearing to have sustained visible facial injuries, the 27-year-old left-handed fighter clarified that they were mostly superficial.
“The swelling in my face could be from punches, but there were also several head-to-head collisions that caused the swelling,” he explained.
“Even though I haven’t undergone any hospital examinations, I believe there is no fracture as the swelling has gone down, and there is no pain when touched. While it was quite swollen at first, it has reduced after a few days.”
Prior to the fight, Nishida was solely focused on his match against Rodriguez.
“My dream was to defeat strong champions and become a world champion,” he expressed. “I am thrilled to have beaten a highly-regarded champion known for his strength in the bantamweight division.
“I was completely focused on defeating Rodriguez, so I haven’t thought about the future yet. But I do feel a desire to take a short break and aim even higher.”
Now, he can enjoy his well-deserved victory with his family.
“I didn’t have much time to spend with my family before the fight,” he mentioned. “I plan to visit my wife’s hometown and take a trip to South Korea, cherishing the moments spent with my family.”
Meanwhile, Mike Altamura, a prominent figure from Australia who serves as the matchmaker and advisor for the Muto Boxing Gym, will explore the opportunities available for the new champion.
“I believe it’s important for Ryosuke to take some time off to celebrate this achievement,” Altamura noted. “Afterwards, I will collaborate with his manager Takashi Edagawa to strategize the next steps. It’s an exciting time with all four world champions in the 118-pound category being Japanese!”
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