Eduardo Nunez vs Masanori Rikiishi Predictions: High-quality IBF title clash in Yokohama

Eduardo Nunez climbs in the ring with Masanori Rikiishi this Wednesday, May 28 for the vacant IBF super featherweight championship. The bout headlines Yokohama Buntai in Yokohama, Japan and will be screened live on DAZN.

Here are my Eduardo Nunez vs Masanori Rikiishi predictions ahead of this title tussle.

Eduardo Nunez vs. Masanori Rikiishi Odds

Nunez is your 2/5 favourite while Rikiishi is the underdog on home soil at 2/1. If you fancy the draw it is priced at 14/1.

Eduardo Nunez vs. Masanori Rikiishi Fight Preview

Nunez is tipped to become the latest Mexican superstar to break through. The 27-year-old is highly-ranked and widely-rated, with a style that has brought 28 knockouts in his 28 wins. ‘Sugar’ steps up into title class here as he competes for the vacant IBF super featherweight crown.

Standing in his way is Rikiishi, who gets this fight in his hometown of Yokohama. A formidable fighter in his own right who earned this shot the hard way. He is the underdog, but there is a reason people are excited for this one.

This belt is vacant because Belfast’s Anthony Cacace gave it up to fight Leigh Wood, who he beat earlier this month. Nunez was his mandatory and some have accused ‘Apache’ of running scared from the Mexican. I disagree. You only need to look at the career-run Cacace is on to see that he is scared of no man. But Nunez is an intimidating prospect.

Nunez’s sole defeat came when he dropped a six-rounder by a point to Hiram Gallardo. They match them tough early in Mexico. Gallardo took Sunny Edwards the distance a year later, showing where his level was at the time.

That is the one time Nunez has had to hear the scorecards. Names big and small have been knocked out over the rest of his pro career. The competition has been tougher recently. Nunez’s latest win came on the road in Tajikistan against ex-IBF world champion Shavkat Rakhimov, who he stopped in 11 rounds. Knockout victories over former WBC interim boss Oscar Escandon and three-time world title challenger Miguel Marriaga solidified his credentials.

The names don’t glisten as bright on Rikiishi’s ledger, but he has a decent resume. Like Nunez he has a single defeat, in his third fight to Kosuke Saka, who was already 16-4 at the time. A win over ex-IBO titlist Michael Magnesi is the best of the bunch, a come-from-behind 12th-round stoppage in his opponent’s homeland of Italy.

 Rikiishi gets home advantage this time. Japan is booming as a boxing country, with Naoya Inoue leading the way and talent like Junto Nakatani and Ryosuke Nishida providing strong support. If Rikiishi upsets the hype train against Nunez, he will catapult into national consciousness.

But Nunez also fights with a boxing-mad nation on his back. It is what makes this such a special fight. Two major stakeholders in the sport clashing for a world crown. Ultimately though, boxing is not a team sport. When the bell rings this is fighter vs fighter. The weight of their nations is nothing compared to the pressure they will put on themselves.

Eduardo Nunez vs. Masanori Rikiishi Full Card

Eduardo Nunez vs. Masanori Rikiishi

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Eduardo Nunez vs. Masanori Rikiishi Predictions

The Rakhimov win really showed what Nunez is made of. A stoppage over a top talent who had entered his last fight as world champion, in his opponent’s home country no less. It means this away task will not worry Nunez.

Not that I expect much trepidation from Rikiishi. But I could see Nunez negating that home advantage and shutting him down. I’m opting for Nunez to score the 29th knockout of his pro career at 20/21.

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