Ryota Murata vs Jason Quigley possible for October 20

Ryota Murata’s next fight is set for October 20 on ESPN+ from Las Vegas, and though he has a mandatory challenger in Rob Brant, ESPN reports that Murata could get an exception to make an optional defense on that date.

The opponent would be Jason Quigley, a Golden Boy fighter, and promoters from both sides have informed Dan Rafael that the fight is in talks right now.

Murata (14-1, 11 KO) holds the WBA “world” middleweight title, winning it in a rematch from Hassan N’dam last October, five months after being blatantly robbed in their first fight. In April, he made his first defense, running through Italy’s Emanuele Blandamura in eight rounds.

Quigley (14-0, 11 KO) is a 27-year-old Irishman based in California, and has been on the radar for years now, it seems, but he only turned pro in July 2014. He has wins over James de la Rosa and Glen Tapia, but missed a year of action due to a hand injury before returning in March to knock out Daniel Rosario.

If Murata faces Quigley and wins, he’d definitely have to face Brant (23-1, 16 KO) next, which ESPN says would likely happen in Japan.