During a press conference in Tokyo, Uchiyama spoke about his new defense plans for December 31, 2015. The world champion also said he expected to debut in the US in 2016 and cited Nicholas Walters ( 26-0-1, 21 KO) as the opponent to face him.
Walter has since responded by saying: “I have no problem with fighting anybody. Yes, there is a good opportunity to fight, but that’s with my promoter Top Rank’s Bob Arum. I fight with anyone they put in front of me,” said Walters, before added that he has never seen him fight. “Uchiyama makes all his fights there in Japan, so he needs to come to fight in the United States on American television for the world to know him a little more and then we can fight.
“Everyone wants to fight with the Ax, from the time I beat Nonito Donaire and Vic Darchinyan also as they both took the challenge,” said Walters referring to his championship fights 126 pounds.
Currently, Walters trains to reappear on December 19 in a 10-round bout against Jason Sosa at the super featherweight before a possible world title fight in 2016.
