TRUJILLO ALTO, Puerto Rico — After debuting in a second weight class, Wilfredo Mendez says he’s ready to make another run at a world title.

The former WBO strawweight titleholder Mendez, 20-3-1 (6 KOs), made a successful first step towards contention in the junior flyweight division on Friday night, defeating Nelvis Rodriguez, 10-2 (5 KOs), by unanimous decision at Coliseo Rubén Zayas Montañez in his hometown of Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico. All three judges scored the fight in his favor, with two judges turning in 98-92 scores and the third seeing it at 99-91.

“It was definitely a good fight. I knew he was a great fighter,” said the 28-year-old Mendez through translator Fernando Gaztambide. ”I knew he was tough but my preparation was excellent and I got the victory.”

Mendez, who won his world title in 2019, making two defenses before losing it in 2021, says the extra three pounds that moving up from the sport’s lightest division affords him made him feel “stronger, more confident, very loose,” and, most importantly, ready to contend for another world title.

The champion he has in his crosshairs is Erick Rosa, 8-0 (2 KOs), the former WBA 105-pound titleholder who now holds the WBA’s belt at 108 pounds. Rosa, 24, of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic won his latest belt in December, defeating Neider Valdez by unanimous decision to earn the vacant belt.

“He’s a great fighter, he’s an attractive fight [for me]. I can go there, he can come to Puerto Rico, we can go to the States. It’s really a fight that is accessible,” said Mendez of the fellow southpaw Rosa.

“I’m definitely ready to fight for a world title any time. I was a former champion. I’m already ranked at 105 but now I’m making some noise at 108.”

Other results:

Junior middleweight Ryan Pino, 17-7-2 (10 KOs), dropped Luis Valentin Portalatin, 4-11 (1 KO), three times in the first round, all on body shots, to claim a first round stoppage at the 2:38 mark.

Lightweight Jorge Omar Vizcarrondo, 2-0 (2 KOs), scored a second round knockout of Abdiel Padilla-Borges, 1-7 (1 KO), at the time of 2:57.

Leonel Alejandro-Cruz, 4-0 (2 KO), defeated Ricard Vasquez Becerril, 2-23-2 (2 KOs), by unanimous decision in their six-round cruiserweight fight. All three judges scored the fight 60-54.

Jean Pagan, 3-1 (3 KOs), scored a first round stoppage ofJose Fernandez, 2-20, at the 1:59 mark of their flyweight bout.

Antonio Mota, 3-0-1 (1 KO), scored a first round stoppage of Oscar Adorno, 0-8, in their junior welterweight fight, ending matters at the 1:50 mark.

Ryan Songalia is a reporter and editor for BoxingScene.com and has written for ESPN, the New York Daily News, Rappler, The Guardian, Vice and The Ring magazine. He holds a Master’s degree in Journalism from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism