There has been a lot about his game that Luis Nery has been able to show off in more than eight years as a pro.

By his own admission, one thing has been sorely lacking in recent years which he plans to correct beginning with his very next ring appearance.

“Discipline,” Nery confessed to BoxingScene.com. “I train hard and the physical work is always put in. But my problem has been discipline.”

A lack of discipline cost Nery (30-0, 24KOs) his bantamweight title, losing the belt at the scale even as the 25-year Tijuana southpaw remains perfect in the ring. It also cost him a fight with fellow former 118-pound titlist Emmanuel Rodriguez after missing weight for their planned clash last November in Las Vegas.

With that came the decision to campaign in the 122-pound division, a move that has been met with two delays due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Nery was due to face countryman Aaron Alameda (25-0, 13KOs) this past March, only to get shut down with hopes of rescheduled for earlier this summer.

Instead, the bout serves as part of a stacked six-fight Showtime Pay-Per-View event on September 26, live from Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut. A vacant junior featherweight title will be on the line, though Nery’s goal extends far beyond becoming a two-division champion. 

For now, the short-term plan is to show the boxing world that he can put it altogether not only in the ring but on the way to fight night.

“This has been a great camp for me, I feel so much stronger at 122 pounds,” Nery insists. “I feel a lot more comfortable, not struggling with the weight or training just to get down (to bantamweight). I’m excited about what I will be able to show my fans on fight night.”

A win over Alameda will put Nery in prime position to race toward the top of the junior featherweight division. While the long-term goal is to win titles in as many weight divisions as possible, there still remains a part of his past he would very much love to revisit—if only to prove to his fans that his mind and soul is in sync with his body.

“What I would really love, and maybe it will happen next year, is to hold two world titles in two different divisions at the same time,” insists Nery. “I’m going after this title at 122, but I’m looking forward to reclaiming my throne at 118 pounds. I want to be able to boast about being a two-division world champion.”

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox