Puerto Rican lightweight contender Felix "El Diamante" Verdejo is ready to make another statement when he returns to the ring on December 12th, at the MGM Grand's Conference Center in Las Vegas.

Verdejo will face Japanese contender Masayoshi Nakatani as part of the undercard to the battle between Shakur Stevenson and Toka Kahn-Clary.

Verdejo has been training in Las Vegas for a month, in the gym of his head coach Ismael Salas, and explained that he arrived there with a strong base to support the work that Salas had planned for him to face Nakatani.

“It was excellent, all smooth sailing. I came with a strong base of preparation, including the conditioning, which is the main thing, and once I settled here I was quite advanced in the work,” said Verdejo to Fernando Reyes.

Verdejo revealed that he is currently hovering between 142 and 143 pounds.

He began his physical preparation in Puerto Rico with coach Cruz Manuel Pensa.

 

“I can see the improvement [with my stamina]. In the last round, when I finish sparring, I was still brand new. I also have to save those energies for the fight,” Verdejo said.

Nakatani will be a difficult opponent because of his height of 6′0. His only loss in 19 fights, by decision, was in his last fight against current unified world champion Teofimo Lopez, who since then shocked the world when he defeated Vasiliy Lomachenko last month.

“He is a tall opponent. I am working with great people and more or less similar to his style. To land my punches I have to be more aggressive. I know he's very good, brave. I will not allow him to take my daughter's plate of food from me. I'm going to be successful on December 12. He's a bit complicated because of the height, but that does not present a threat to me, and I know that I can defeat it," Verdejo said.

Nakatani has 12 knockouts among his 18 victories. Verdejo will go in with a 27-1 record.

His fight against Nakatani will be a gauge for Verdejo, especially since the Japanese boxer put up a good fight for López. Verdejo could meet López or Lomachenko down the road.

After watching the fight between López and Lomachenko, the Olympian believes that he's above them.

"I see myself as being above them," Verdejo said. “You could already see that Lomachenko is vulnerable. López is too. Just as [López] gave a surprise, I am also going to surprise him later."