Former DEEP Featherweight Champion Takafumi Otsuka will next compete on June 24th at DEEP: “54 Impact” when he faces rising star Hiroshi “Iron” Nakamura for the vacant DEEP Bantamweight Championship. The title fight matchup was officially announced by the promotion earlier today.

Otsuka most recently competed in the DREAM Japan Bantamweight Grand Prix, but suffered a Split Decision loss to Kenji Osawa in the opening round. Nakamura last fought in February when he defeated Masakazu Imanari in a non-title fight. Imanari has now vacated his DEEP bantamweight title.

Otsuka (11-8-1) sports a mediocre record, but the majority of his losses have come in razor-thin Split Decisions. Among Otsuka’s most notable victories are wins over former Sengoku champion Masanori Kanehara and UFC veteran Dokonjonosuke Mishima. The August 2009 victory against Mishima earned Otsuka the DEEP Featherweight Championship, but he lost the title last year. Now campaigning as a bantamweight, the striker has eyes on DEEP gold once again.

Nakamura (12-4-4) is currently the uncrowned DEEP Bantamweight Champion after his non-title win over Imanari in February. He has lost just once in his last 14 fights and battled Hatsu Hioki to a Draw in 2008. While not known as a finisher, Nakamura has recently put together three straight wins in DEEP and may look to transition to a promotion in North America in the coming year. In the interim, he will have a chance to become a champion in DEEP in June.

DEEP: “54 Impact” takes place on June 24th at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan.

(Photo Credit: Sherdog.com)