Ryosuke Nishida vs. Bryan Mercado: Who has the edge heading into their fight?

Former world champion Ryosuke Nishida returns to boxing for his first fight of 2026, while looking to rebound from his first professional loss.

Nishida will clash with Bryan Mercado in a junior featherweight matchup at Sumiyoshi SportsCenter in Osaka, Japan on Sunday.

Nishida (10-1, 2 KOs) suffered his first pro defeat in June after he was forced to retire at the end of the sixth round in a title unification bout against Junto Nakatani. Nishida wound up losing his IBF bantamweight world championship as a result. He faces Mexican fighter Mercado (32-1, 26 KOs) who delivered three knockout victories in a busy 2025.

Will Nishida get back on track with a sound victory? Or will Mercado shock the Japanese fighter in Osaka by pulling off the grand upset? DAZN News examines who has the edge between these fighters entering their bout.

The Ring

Boxing Styles

Ryosuke Nishida is going to tap away with the jab, while looking for the right moment to split opponents’ guards further with a straight left hand or slicing uppercut. Disciplined with his spacing, reliant on his range and agile with his own guard, Nishida is content in outpointing fighters — the common outcome of his fights.

His style will be up against an aggressive, rugged Bryan Mercado who actively pressures in the pocket, letting his hands go with high volume — especially that overhand right.

His head-first, hunched over guard could leave him susceptible to Nishida’s jab, though.

Edge: Nishida

Power

Nishida is not renowned for his power with only two knockouts to his professional ledger. His clean punching efficiency makes him more of a contact hitter whereas Mercado is a headhunter who will actively detonate that overhand right toward bad intentions.

If he could time and catch the southpaw Nishida with the weapon, Mercado could pull off the grand upset in Osaka.

Edge: Mercado

Mental Warfare

Last June, Nishida suffered his first professional loss — a stoppage at the hands of Junto Nakatani. Nishida has had a bit over eight months to rebuild to get to this point.

Rebounding from a defeat is not easy, though Nishida can take solace in knowing he has handled a pressuring, forward-fighting opponent before in Emmanuel Rodríguez and has the tools to do so against Mercado as well. Plus, Mercado, who has never fought outside of his native Mexico, must overcome winning on the road in Japan. Not an easy task against a technician like Nishida.

Edge: Nishida

Who has the edge in Nishida vs. Mercado?

DAZN News has the advantage going to Nishida, 2-1, though Mercado has the power and persistence to dramatically alter that. Still, Nishida needs a victory to get back on track and has the pointed sweet science skills to do so.

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