Angel ‘Tito’ Acosta is not leaving the flyweight division without a major title around his waist.

The former WBO junior flyweight titlist punched his way back into the win column with a first-round knockout of fellow Puerto Rican flyweight Janiel Rivera in their Golden Boy Fight Night in a DAZN main event earlier this month at Fantasy Springs Special Events Center in Indio, California. A series of power shot—27-of-45 (60%), to be exact—proved Rivera’s downfall, ending the fight in just 79 seconds.

Following the win, Acosta immediately turned his attention to the next task at hand—aiming to become a two-division titlist. Next on the agenda for the 31-year-old San Juan, Puerto Rico native is to monitor the June 25 rematch between WBC flyweight champion Julio Cesar Martinez (18-2, 14KOs; 2NC) of Mexico City and Fajardo, P.R.-based interim WBC titlist McWilliams Arroyo (21-4, 16KOs; 1NC), with every intention of being next in line for the belt.

“If my team is able to get another fight for me, I will take it. Otherwise, I want to see how the rematch turns out between Julio Cesar Martinez and McWilliams Arroyo,” Acosta told BoxingScene.com. “I would love to face the winner of that fight for the WBC title and then the rest of the champions after that.”

Acosta and Arroyo are both co-promoted by Promociones Miguel Cotto and Golden Boy Promotions. Martinez is part of Eddy Reynoso’s No Boxing, No Life stable who frequently fights on DAZN under the Matchroom Boxing banner.

Acosta came up short in his previous title bid, suffering a broken nose in the opening round of an eventual fourth-round stoppage to WBO flyweight titlist Junto Nakatani last September in Tucson, Arizona. The loss was his first since being dealt a controversial 12th round stoppage to Mexicali’s Elwin Soto in June 2019, ending his 18-month WBO junior flyweight title reign.

Four fights have followed the Soto loss, all at flyweight or heavier where the 5’4” Acosta feels at home. It showed in his latest effort, even if it was against a tailor-made opponent in Vega Baja, P.R.’s Rivera (18-9-3, 11KOs), who has now lost his last six starts.

“I just wanted to show the boxing world that I am here to stay at flyweight,” insisted Acosta. “The goal has always been to win a world title at this weight. I’m ready for anyone.”

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox