Elvis Rodriguez lost to underdog Kenneth Sims the last time Rodriguez boxed on a Top Rank card in Las Vegas.

The Dominican southpaw hasn’t lost since Sims edged him by majority decision in their eight-rounder in May 2021 at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. His six-fight winning streak has moved Rodriguez into position to fight undefeated Mexican Lindolfo Delgado on another Top Rank show Saturday night at Palms Casino Resort’s Pearl Theater in Las Vegas.

If Rodriguez wins their 10-round IBF elimination match, the 29-year-old contender will take a significant step toward a 140-pound title shot. He is ranked No. 5 by the IBF in its junior welterweight ratings. Delgado is listed seventh among the IBF’s 140-pound contenders.

Neither Rodriguez nor Delgado are ranked in The Ring’s top 10. Rodriguez nevertheless realizes it’ll become extremely difficult to make his championship dream a reality if he doesn’t win this fight.

“It’s the most important step of my career up to the moment,” Rodriguez said Thursday during a press conference. “You know, it’ll put me right up [there] to knock on the door for a world title and to be able to accomplish my dream.”

Sims shattered Rodriguez’s dream almost four years ago. Rodriguez (17-1-1, 13 KOs), who is trained by Freddie Roach, took an 11-0-1 record and a lot of confidence into that fight on the Josh Taylor-Jose Ramirez undercard.

Chicago’s Sims, an underachiever to that point, outboxed an uninspired Rodriguez and beat him on two scorecards (78-74, 78-74, 76-76). Sims (22-2-1, 8 KOs) has won nine fights in a row, hasn’t lost since November 2018 and seeks his own championship chance in the junior welterweight division.

The resurgent Rodriguez might beat Sims to a title shot if he can defeat Delgado (22-0, 16 KOs), who represented Mexico at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

“It is a great opportunity and we are more than ready to take advantage of it,” Rodriguez said. “It’s been a lot of hard work to get here. And so Saturday night, we’re gonna do the work necessary to walk away with the victory.”

In addition to their IBF rankings, the WBC ranks Delgado at No. 5 and Rodriguez at No. 15 and the WBO rates Delgado eighth and Rodriguez 14th. Rodriguez would welcome a shot at IBF champ Richardson Hitchins, WBA champ Gary Antuanne Russell or WBO champ Teofimo Lopez if he beats the 30-year-old Delgado.

“After this fight it’ll open the door for a world title opportunity because this is a final eliminator,” Rodriguez said. “And so, if I win this fight, then I will deserve it. And I’m gonna go for it. And who would I like to fight? Well, against any of the world champions at 140 pounds. I want to be a world champion and I’m ready to fight against any of the champions.”

ESPN+ will stream Delgado-Rodriguez shortly after 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. PT) on Saturday night. Heavyweight prospect Richard Torrez (12-0, 11 KOs), a 2021 Olympic silver medalist from Tulare, California, is set to face Italian veteran Guido Vianello (13-2-1, 11 KOs) in the 10-round main event.