Getting a ring date with Japanese pound-for-pound king Naoya “Monster” Inoue seems to remain elusive for Filipino Johnriel Casimero.

A report from Japan on Tuesday revealed that Inoue is booked to make his much-awaited appearance sometime in February 2027.

The opponent appears to be Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez, who recently won a third world crown after destroying Antonio Vargas of Mexico in Arizona.

Hideyuki Ohashi, the former world champion who manages Inoue, did not name the opponent but Rodriguez is the guy Ohashi could be referring to based on his cryptic statement.

Speaking to Yahoo Japan, Ohashi said:  “[Inoue] will have a big fight in February next year. I am sure you can guess which one. That’s also in motion right now. Once that’s done, the next one will be in an extraordinary place.”

Inoue hasn’t fought since repulsing Junto Nakatani, who was moving up in weight after terrorizing the bantamweight division for years.

That fight held last May before a sellout crowd at the Tokyo Dome, saw Inoue outpoint Nakatani in 12 rounds.

Rodriguez has an unbeaten 24-0 card with 17 knockouts and ringsiders see him as a less of a threat compared to Casimero, who is more experienced.

Early this month, Casimero crushed Mexican Luis “Pantera” Nery in four rounds at the Aichi Sky Expo in Tokoname, Japan.

Casimero has been calling out Inoue for years but the Japanese has turned a deaf ear to his desperate pleas.

If Inoue fights Rodriguez, the growing sentiment that he is avoiding Casimero like the plague will only persist.