By Jake Donovan

For the moment, all that Nicholas Walters wants to focus on is his first official fight in the 130 lb. division and Jason Sosa, his opponent for this weekend.

So much that he’s not at all concerned with what already lies ahead, as he prepares for a dangerous clash with knockout artist Jason Sosa. The two collide this weekend at Turning Stone Resort & Casino in Verona, New York, with HBO to televise.  The bout serves as the co-feature to a heavyweight clash between unbeaten secondary titlist Luis Ortiz and top contender Bryant Jennings.

A win on Saturday could potentially put the unbeaten former featherweight champion in line for a crack at top-rated super featherweight Takashi Uchiyama. USA Today’s Mike Coppinger was the first to report the news based on a news tip from Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum, who represents Walters’ stateside fights.

Should it play out as reported elsewhere, the fight would take place somewhere in the United States with HBO to televise and as early as next spring. A showdown with Uchiyama is the type of fight that Walters (26-0, 21KOs) craved upon formally moving up after a win over Miguel Marriaga in June that was preceded by his leaving his featherweight title at the scales due to missing weight.

It’s just not the fight that’s currently on his mind.

“This fight (with Sosa) is going to answer what we can do in 2016,” Walters told krikya360.com on Thursday when asked of his immediate future. “Let’s get through this one and we can think about next year.”

In addition to Walters having to get past Sosa this weekend, Uchiyama (23-0-1, 19KOs) has his annual New Year's Eve appearance to get through. The unbeaten 36-year old southpaw from Tokyo faces Oliver Flores in what serves as his fifth straight New Year's Eve headliner at home.

While it’s a fighter’s job to focus on the present and a promoter’s job to prepare for the future, the rest of his team is equally as cautious. As Arum is ready to begin selling the fight, the rest of the Top Rank team shows Sosa (18-1-3, 14KOs) proper respect as a dangerous opponent on a 14-fight win streak, including 13 straight knockouts heading into this weekend.

Additionally, there comes the insistence that Uchiyama is one of several options that lie ahead of this weekend’s winner.

“First thing’s first; both Walters and Sosa better not look towards what’s next or they’ll find themselves on their butt,” Carl Moretti, Vice President – and the calming presence – of Top Rank told krikya360.com. “Secondly, there are plenty of attractive fights at 130 – both title and non-title – for 2016. So let’s see what happens on Saturday, then worry about it after the holidays.” 

Jake Donovan is the managing editor of krikya360.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox