Carlos Caraballo appreciates the conversations that mention his name as one of the hottest rising prospects in the sport today.

However, it’s not quite the present-day goal he has in mind.

“I’m here to prove that I’m the best bantamweight in the world,” Caraballo told BoxingScene.com. “I know who the best are, who I have to beat to get there. So now it’s time to start moving towards those guys.”

The unbeaten knockout artist from Ponce, Puerto Rico takes a step in the right direction with his next assignment. Caraballo (14-0, 14KOs) next faces former title challenger Jonas Sultan (17-5, 11KOs) this Saturday on ESPN+ from Madison Square Garden’s Hulu Theater in New York City. The bout comes In supporting capacity to a junior welterweight crossroads bout between top contender Jose Zepeda and rising prospect Josue Vargas.

“I want two or three more fights like this and then the best bantamweights there. By this time next year, I expect to be world champion so guys like this are who I need to fight to get there.”

Caraballo is constantly referred to as among the best young talents from Puerto Rico, where he has spent the bulk of his five-year career. The 25-year-old has yet to be extended beyond the sixth round of a fight, that moment coming in one of just three career stateside appearances when he stopped Felipe Rivas with just 1:13 to go in the sixth and final round of their October 2018 affair in Costa Mesa, California.

In his most recent start, Caraballo blasted out Leonardo Baez (21-4, 12KOs; 18-3 at the time) inside of four rounds this past March in Old San Juan. The fight was his first since the pandemic, coming without fans in attendance though plenty watching from outside the perimeter of the sectioned-off outdoor venue.

Saturday serves as the first career fight in Boricua-friendly New York City for Caraballo, though more germane to his career being the matchup itself.

Philippines’ Sultan owns a win over countryman John Riel Casimero, a three-division and current bantamweight titlist. The twelve-round win led to his own title opportunity, coming up short versus another fellow Filipino and reigning junior bantamweight titlist Jerwin Ancajas in their May 2018 title fight. Sultan has won three of his four starts since then, including a rust-shaking seventh-round knockout of Sharone Carter this past August in Carson, California.

Sultan himself has never been dropped or stopped through 22 pro bouts, potentially serving as the perfect foil for a fast-rising talent who has yet to hear the final bell.

“I like this fight for my career right now,” insists Caraballo. “I think I’m ready for the top contenders right now and my team went out and found the toughest opponent who wanted to fight me.

“Nobody has been able to stop this guy and I don’t even care if I do. If that moment comes, that’s great. But I just want to prove that I belong with the best in the world. Not the best prospects in the world but the best fighters in the world.”

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