Wilfredo “Bimbito” Mendez will not lose sight of reclaiming the 105-pound title of the World Boxing Organization (WBO).

After losing the world title a little less than a month ago, the former champion is preparing to return to the ring in April, in a fight that will prepare him to request a 2022 rematch against the Japanese slugger Masataka Taniguchi.

Mendez lost his championship by technical knockout to Taniguchi on December 14 in Japan.

“I have the option of fighting before asking for a rematch. That's what I'm going to do,” Mendez, 25-years-old, told Giovanny Vega.

“I'm going to have that preparation fight in April, to get ready and [shake off more rust from] the two-years of inactivity. It will be a fight over eight or ten rounds to build strength for a rematch or against whoever has the belt."

The Mendez fight will probably take place in the Dominican Republic.

“The opponent is still unknown. They have to be looking right now. It has to be an opponent that is on the map and that does not have a negative record, because then it wouldn't do me any good to ask for a rematch," said Méndez.

Taniguchi, meanwhile, will have to make a first defense this year.

Mendez - who is 16-2 with 6 KOs - aims to be far more active when compared to the past two years.

“I am going to be more active this year. I was inactive for two years. [My team] is focusing on that so when the world title opportunity comes - which is going to be soon - what happened to me this time won't happen to me. Because of the inactivity I fell out of the fight, I didn't have any rhythm," said Méndez.

'Bimbito' fell into an inactivity spell of one year and ten months. Before his world title loss, Mendez fought on February 8 of 2020 - when he defeated Colombian Gabriel Mendoza by technical knockout.