By Miguel Rivera

The next defense of the Frenchman Nordine Oubaali should be against the Japanese contender Takuma Inoue, according to information passed along by World Boxing Council President Mauricio Sulaiman to ESPN Deportes.

Sulaiman also revealed that the winner must make a mandatory defense of the WBC bantamweight title against Luis Nery.

In his position as mandatory challenger, the possibility arose that Nery would go directly in a fight with Oubaali - but the WBC clarified that the interim-title should be removed first, so Takuma, brother of bantamweight champion, Naoya 'Monster' Inoue, will be the next obstacle of the Moroccan-blooded champ.

"The immediate challenger is Inoue, who is the interim champion, and the winner goes against Nery," said Sulaiman, clarifying the issue of mandatory Oubaali, who on Saturday in Kazakhstan successfully defended the green and gold scepter for the first time with a victory in six rounds against Filipino Arthur Villanueva.

Precisely on the subject, Oubaali assured that his next opponent is Takuma and not Luis.

"My next opponent should be Takuma Inoue, my plan is to fight with my him and then I want the best," said the Frenchman with a record of 16-0 with 12 knockouts. "Naoya Inoue will win the World Boxing Super Series and after my next fight, I want to fight him, I'm fine, I want all the titles.

"I feel like I'm the best in the division, I know I can beat the two Inoues, I need to work for the next fight and then work more for the next one, I want to show progress every time. (Against Villanueva) it was a good demonstration, my opponent was a good boxer, so stopping him was very good for my career."

Takuma Inoue won the interim-championship last December with a points win over Thai Petch Sor Chitpattana and with that he improved his professional record to 13-0. Naoya Inoue, meanwhile, must face Nonito Donaire in the final bout of the World Boxing Super Series.