It was today announced that junior featherweights Kaito Yamasaki and Mugicha Nakagawa will collide for a vacant regional title on February 15.

Their 10-round contest features as the chief support to former IBF bantamweight titleholder Ryosuke Nishida facing Mexico's dangerous Bryan Mercado in a 122-pound title eliminator at Sumiyoshi Sports Center in Osaka, Japan.

The IBF’s two highest-rated available contenders, Mercado (32-1, 26 KOs) and Nishida (10-1, 2 KOs) will meet in an eliminator for undisputed and Ring champion Naoya Inoue's title.

Yamasaki (11-1, 6 KOs) and Nakagawa (32-11-3, 20 KOs) bid to replace Kazuki Nakajima, who won the same belt in February 2024 before making four defences over the next 22 months and later vacating.

Elsewhere, Japan's Shuma Nakazato (15-3-4, 8 KOs) will take on South Korea's Min Ho Jung (19-5-2, 5 KOs) for the vacant OPBF lightweight title.

At flyweight, Keisuke Iwasaki (9-7-3, 3 KOs) and Yutthichai Wannawong (19-17, 13 KOs) meet over eight rounds.

In the card's opening fight, Juiki Tatsuyoshi (17-1-1, 10 KOs), son of legendary Japanese fighter Joichiro, will look to continue his comeback after a crushing second-round knockout by Nakajima in December 2024. He'll make his second start since then, up against Shoki Yamauchi (7-6, 6 KOs).