By Miguel Rivera
The 130-pound NABO champion, Christopher "Pitufo" Diaz, could fight for his first world title as early as the middle or end of July.
With no time to lose, the undefeated contender with a record of 23-0 and 15 KO's, will head over next week to New Jersey to start his camp.
"I'm leaving on Wednesday to start the camp," Diaz advised Jose Bartolomei.
On Saturday night, Vasiliy Lomachenko - who holds the WBO super featherweight title - moved up to the lightweight limit of 135-pounds and stopped Jorge Linares in the tenth round to capture the WBA championship at New York's Madison Square Garden.
Pitufo, 23, holds the number one ranking at super featherweight under the World Boxing Organization (WBO).
His potential opponent is the one that follows him in the ranks, Japanese contender Masayuki Ito.
"We are negotiating with opponents, but quite possibly it will be Ito," Diaz said.
"We are waiting for Vasyl Lomachenko to leave the 130-pound title vacant. If so, I'll be fighting for the title either on July 14 or 28 in Florida.
The Japanese has a record of 23-1-1 and 12 knockouts
"The Japanese are tremendous fighters," said Diaz.
"Before they established their career as amateurs, but now there are many professionals. They are good opponents. It will not be easy."
Díaz is coming back from retaining his NABO crown this past March when he beat Dominican Braulio Rodríguez by technical knockout.
Ito has won seven fights in a row since losing a ten round majority decision to countryman Rikki Naito in a battle for the Japanese super featherweight title in February 2015.
Following that loss, he picked up the OPBE and WBO Asia Pacific super featherweight titles.
He's never fought outside of Japan and nearly every single fight on his record has taken place at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo.
He was last seen in action back in March, when he stopped Vergil Puton in nine rounds.
