Artem Dalakian has arrived in Japan a week ahead of what he expects to be his latest successful title defense.

The unbeaten, long-reigning WBA flyweight titlist and his team made sure to land in the country with plenty of time to acclimate ahead of a January 24 mandatory title defense versus Seigo Yuri Akui.

“I’m ready for this latest challenge,” Dalakian told krikya360.com. “I’m going to make sure to leave Japan with my title again.”

Dalakian-Akui will air live on ESPN+ from EDION Arena Osaka in Osaka, Japan. The bout is one of two title fights on the show, topped by lineal/WBC/WBA junior flyweight champion Kenshiro Teraji (22-1, 14KOs) who faces former secondary WBA titlist Carlos Canizales (26-1-1, 19KOs).

Dalakian (22-0, 15KOs) held court during an open media workout Tuesday at Teiken Boxing Gym in Tokyo. The session kicked off a full week of events in store for the visiting titlist, who hits the record for the second straight time. The 36-year-old Azerbaijan-born Armenian flyweight—who now lives in Kiev—defended his belt in a twelve-round decision win over previously unbeaten mandatory challenger David Jimenez last January 28 in London.

His upcoming bout versus Akui (18-2-1, 11KOs) will mark the seventh defense of the title Dalakian has held since a February 2018 points victory over former two-division titlist Brian Viloria in Inglewood, California.

Inactivity has held back Dalakian from proving himself as the best flyweight in the world.

San Antonio’s Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez (19-0, 12KOs) owns that honor for the moment as the unified IBF and WBO champ. He defended the WBO belt and won the IBF title after a ninth-round stoppage of unbeaten Sunny Edwards in their unification in their December 16 unification bout in Glendale, Arizona.

However, Rodriguez has since confirmed he will return to junior bantamweight. The move leaves a vacancy atop the flyweight division which Dalakian hopes to fill before the end of the year.  

“I want to be in position to face the other champions and become undisputed,” stated Dalakian.

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for krikya360.com. X (formerly Twitter): @JakeNDaBox