Big-punching Eduardo Nunez has become used to travelling overseas for fights, having scored big road wins in Tajikistan and Japan over the past year-and-a-half.

The Mexican's reward for outpointing Masanori Rikiishi for the vacant IBF junior lightweight title on May 28, is a maiden title defence against former two-time world title challenger Christopher Diaz in front of his own fans in Los Mochis, Mexico.

DAZN will stream Saturday's championship contest worldwide at 9pm ET/2am BST.

"Diaz is a fighter with experience facing great boxers," Nunez told The Ring through his co-promoter Oswaldo Kuchle of Latin KO.

"We've studied him, and it will be an interesting fight that will please the fans here in Los Mochis. They will surely fill the C.U.M to see a performance worthy of a champion, and we'll respond in the ring."

Nunez (28-1, 27 KOs) had to walk through fire to seize the vacant belt earlier this year and acknowledges that his 12-round points win over Rikiishi was a tough fight.

"It was a complicated fight - we knew it would be - an experienced opponent at home and with great boxing skills, but I always knew I was going to win," he said.

"[Rikiishi] came out to fight his fight, I did mine. We worked on the strategy, blocking his path and attacking him. In the end, we achieved our objective in a fight that left me satisfied with the way we resolved it."

Once he returned home from the title triumph, he was met by many of his countrymen, who wanted to see their new world champion.

"For me, it was a surprise to see so many people at the airport. I expected to see my family, some friends and reporters, but what I saw when the doors opened left me speechless.

"Later, in my community of Jahuara II, they welcomed me like a hero with a parade through the streets and with all the people gathered there. It was something that made me think about making the first defense here in Los Mochis."

Since then, his popularity has continued to grow.

"Well, people recognize me on the street, they shout out to me to say 'hello' but I'm still the same and I try to be the same," he proudly explained. "In Los Mochis, we're used to seeing champions on the streets who remain humble, and that helps keep us grounded. Also, I will help my family to have a better life."

The win also saw him add his name to the rich boxing tapestry in Los Mochis, a small coastal city in Sinaloa, which has produced many world champions, which includes Ray Beltran, Humberto Soto, Fernando Beltran and Jorge Arce among others.

"Of course, it is an honor that my name is among those great champions, I am sure that many of them will be with me that night, I will be in charge of inviting them personally, so that it will be a night full of stars and the whole world will know my city, the 'Land of Champions' as it is known," he continued.

He's ticked the box of becoming world champion and his maiden defense will allow him to tick another box, defending his title in front of friends and family.

However, The Ring's No. 5-rated junior lightweight has aspirations to go further.

"I would like to face [O'Shaquie] Foster for his style and because he holds the WBC belt," he said. "A duel with [WBO titlist Emanuel] Navarrete also seems attractive to me, especially because we are both fighters of the same explosive level.

"I am ready for whoever and wherever my promoters [Latin KO] and Matchroom company says. I want to make history, and the only way to do that is fighting the best and giving people the fights they want to see."

Kuchle is happy to have helped Nunez become world champion and feels there is a lot more to achieve.

"It’s an honor to have supported 'Sugar' from his early days to his world title," said the promoter. "He is a very disciplined fighter, a motivator to many young fighters we developed and without a doubt, a tremendous human being. He achieved an important victory in Japan; it has been many years since a Mexican won a championship fight there.

"Now he has the opportunity to fight under the protection of his people and head into those unification bouts everyone wants to see and that we're sure he'll win. There's confidence in the great work he has done and in his potential as a champion. We always knew he would go very far, and the title is just the beginning of a great story."

Diaz (30-5, 19 KOs) has been a professional for over a decade and won his first 23 bouts to earn a shot at WBO 130-pound titlist Masayuki Ito but came up short losing a 12-round unanimous decision. Two fights later, Shakur Stevenson dominated him en route to a 10-round points win.

After returning to the win column, he was defeated by then WBO featherweight boss Navarrete with a final round stoppage loss, before dropping a majority decision against former beltholder Isaac Dogboe. Nonetheless, he responded well after another setback and has reeled off four victories in his last five to earn a third championship opportunity.