Japanese champion Masamichi Yabuki, who meets mandatory challenger Miel Fajardo in late-November most probably in Tokyo, could be looking past the Filipino puncher.

It was reported on Tuesday by the Japanese media that Yabuki is targeting an all-Japanese showdown with newly-crowned World Boxing Association light-flyweight titlist Daiya Kira in the first quarter of 2027.

“Be careful trying to look past him (Fajardo),” commented matchmaker Anthony Arieta, who helps out Fajardo and his team by way of negotiations.

Yabuki and Kira are being paired together because of their high knockout winning percentages.

Yabuki holds a 20-4-0 win-loss-draw record with 18 knockouts while Kira totes a 5-0-0 with four knockouts.

This early, the 23-year-old Kira is being touted as Japan’s next big star.

Like them, Fajardo is also a hard-hitter carrying a record of 14-3-2 with 12 knockouts, including seven in the very first round.

To get ready for his first shot at a world crown, Fajardo will set up camp in Hong Kong for a month starting next week.

His needs will be provided by his Hong Kong manager Lennon Tsoi, who was forced to come up with an alternative venue for training camp because of Manila’s rainy weather.

After Hong Kong, Fajardo will return to Manila for the most crucial stage of the buildup with the Elorde Sports Center as his homebase.

Tsoi feels the weather will be much better by then, allowing Fajardo to undergo strength and conditioning under favorable conditions.