Kenshiro Teraji vs Tetsuya Hisada

Kenshiro's eighth defence and Tetsuya's last chance

By James Blears

World Boxing Council light flyweight champion Kenshiro Teraji (17-0, 10KOs) is another classic fighter in the smaller weight divisions, and he appears to have it all going for him, in the eighth defense of the title he`s firmly held since 2017.

The smiling, fresh faced and charismatic 29 year old undefeated champion, who is nicknamed 'The Amazing Boy', moves well, hits hard and has deft mastery of ring generalship. He's an elegant, precise and ruthless attacker, behind an educated, pinpoint snappy left jab. His follow up left and right hooks are thuddingly accurate and the body shots he delivers with aplomb, are gaspingly breathtaking.

When he going gets tough, he instinctively, but also intelligently employs an excellent defense, being elusively hard to hit, slipping punches with relaxed, assured but economic ease, while blocking others with his long arms. His footwork is neat, well placed and sometimes reminiscent of the great Ricardo “Finito Lopez.”

For a while he Anglicized his name, but now he fights under its full umbrella. His father Hisashi was once OPBF light heavyweight champion. Kenshiro has achieved his exulted pro championship status with only 17 fights including 10 KO's, but prior to that he had a solid 58-16 amateur career, spanning 2007-2014, culminating in the Japanese National Championship.

In that same year he debuted professionally and 2015 he won the WBC Light flyweight Youth title, defeating Rolly Sumalpong, by UD, but it proved an instructive learning curve, as he was dropped hard in the opening round, got up chastened, and more prudently progressed to victory.

In his next fight Kenshiro defeated Kenichi Horikawa to win the Japanese national title and then he added the OPBF title with another UD, this time against Toshimasa Ouchi.

It was time for a step up to world class and Kenshiro took on skilled Mexican southpaw Ganigan Lopez, who was WBC light flyweight champion, defeating him by UD. An even harder fight in his first defense, against former champion Pedro Guevara, winning a majority decision in a closely contested bout.

Kenshiro appears to have then hit his stride. He TKO'd Gilberto Pedorza in four, Ganigan again… but this time in just two, Milan Melindo in seven, he defeated durable Saul “Baby” Juarez by UD, Jonathan Taconing in four and Randy Petalcorin, also in four.

He was supposed to fight in December, but had to overcome what are described as personal problems, before he could fully focus on business at hand, namely Tetsuya Hisada (34-10-1, 20KOs) , at the Edion Arena, Osaka on April 24th.

Mandatory challenger Tetsuya, will feel at home in this bout, because he`s from Osaka, but at 36, he`s seven years older than the champ. It`s been an uneven career of 34-10-2, in which there have been triumphs, setback, wins, more bumps on the road and perseverance, to steer himself towards an opportunity for the ultimate glittering prize.

Some experts describe his footwork as rudimentary, his boxing skills as adequate, and him as a frequent hitter rather than a chilling one. Yet, he has stopped twenty of his opponents. His debut was way back in 2003 as a 19 year old. But then he lost his next fight on a split decision to Takeshi Honda. He won a UD against previously undefeated Yusuke Kondo, and then a gap of eleven months. More wins and losses followed.

Tetsuya`s only stoppage loss, was when he fought Hiroyaki Kudaka at super flyweight. He sensibly went back to light fly and wanted to fight Kenshiro for the Japanese national title, but the younger man catapulted himself towards the absolute WBC crown before this could happen.

Tetsuya won the national title in 2017 and has successfully defended it five times. On October 1st 2019 he lost to 27 year old WBA Super light flyweight champion Hiroto Kyoguchi by UD, in the Edion Arena, Osaka. Prior to that he`s racked up thirteen victories.

Kenshiro is the clear, but not totally assured favorite. He does accomplish better in almost every department, he`s younger, fresher, more assured, more skillful and… he`s the champion.

On the other side of the scales, Tetsuya has appreciably more experience, has grimly had to fight his way back from adversity and the brink, time and again, and then there`s his advanced age to consider.

So it`s evident, that his is his last chance for the big time, which should wonderfully concentrate him in the execution of his task. For him, it`s going to be now or never. He`s training as never before, because the longer it goes, the tougher it`ll become. He`s no longer a spring chicken!

This will be the WBC's 2103rd Championship fight in its 58-year history

MASATO YAMASHITA & SHINSEI PROMOTIONS, PRESENTS:

KENSHIRO TERAJI WBC CHAMPION

Nationality: Japan DOB: January 6, 1992 Birthplace: Joyo, Kyoto, Japan Residence: Uji, Kyoto, Japan Age: 27 Record: 17-0-0, 10 KO’s Alias: The Amazing Boy Guard: Orthodox Rounds: 112 World Titles fights: 8 (8-0-0) Manager: Akihiko Honda Promoter: Teiken Promotions

TETSUYA HISADA WBC No. 1 CHALLENGER

Nationality: Japan DOB: October 30, 1984 Birthplace: Sakai, Osaka, Japan Residence: Osaka, Osaka, Japan Age: 36 Record: 34-10-2, 2 KO’s Guard: Orthodox Rounds: 295 World Titles fights: 1 (0-1-0) Manager: Jitsuo Harada Promoter: Harada Promotions

WBC´S LT. FLYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONS

FRANCO UDELLA (ITALY) 1975 LUIS ESTABA (VEN) 1975 – 1978 FREDDIE CASTILLO (MEX) 1978 NETRNOI SOR VORASINGH (THA) 1978 SUNG JUN KIM (KOR) 1978 – 1980 SHIGEO NAKAJIMA (JAP) 1980 HILARIO ZAPATA (PAN) 1980 – 1982 AMADO URZUA (MEX) 1982 TADASHI TOMORI (JAP) 1982 HILARIO ZAPATA (PAN)* 1982 – 1983 JUNGKOO CHANG (KOR) 1983 – 1988 GERMAN TORRES (MEX) 1988 – 1989 YULWOO LEE (KOR) 1989 HUMBERTO GONZALEZ (MEX) 1989 – 1990 ROLANDO PASCUA (PHIL) 1990 – 1991 MELCHOR COB CASTRO (MEX) 1991 HUMBERTO GONZALEZ (MEX)* 1991 – 1993 MICHAEL CARBAJAL (US) 1993 – 1994 HUMBERTO GONZALEZ (MEX)* 1994 – 1995 SAMAN SORJATURONG (THA) 1995 – 1999 YOSAM CHOI (KOR) 1999 – 2002 JORGE ARCE (MEX) 2001 – 2004 ERIC ORTIZ (MEX) 2005 BRIAN VILORIA (US) 2005 – 2006 OMAR NIÑO (MEXICO) 2006 WANDEE SINGWANGCHA (THAILAND) INTERIM 2006 EDGAR SOSA (MEXICO) 2007 – 2009 RODEL MAYOL (PHILIPPINES) 2009 – 2010 OMAR NIÑO (MEXICO)* 2010 GILBERTO KEB BAAS (MEXICO) 2010 – 2011 ADRIAN HERNANDEZ (MEXICO) 2011 KOMPAYAK PORPRAMOOK (THAILAND) 2011 – 2012 ADRIAN HERNANDEZ (MEXICO)* 2012 – 2014 NAOYA INOUE (JAPAN) 2014 PEDRO GUEVARA (MEXICO) 2014 – 2015 YU KIMURA (JAPAN) 2015 – 2016 GANIGAN LOPEZ (MEXICO) 2016 – 2017 KENSHIRO TERAJI (JAPAN) 2017 –

*REGAINED

WBC´S LT. FLYWEIGHT TOP TEN CHAMPIONS

HUMBERTO GONZALEZ (MEXICO) HILARIO ZAPATA (PANAMA) MICHAEL CARBAJAL (US) LUIS ESTABA (VENEZUELA) JUNGKOO CHANG (KOREA) SAMAN SORJATURONG (THAILAND) JORGE ARCE (MEXICO) EDGAR SOSA (MEXICO) YOSAM CHOI (KOREA) TADASHI TOMORI (JAPAN)

FACTS OF THE LT. FLYWEIGHT DIVISION

33 WORLD CHAMPIONS HAVE CONQUERED THE WBC WORLD TITLE AT THE LIGHTFLYWEIGHT DIVISION

4 OF THEM HAVE BEEN CHAMPIONS IN DIFFERENT CYCLES: HILARIO ZAPATA (PANAMA) 2X HUMBERTO GONZALEZ (MEXICO) 3X OMAR NIÑO (MEXICO) 2X ADRIAN HERNANDEZ (MEXICO) 2X

THE WBC HAS HELD 147 LT. FLYWEIGHT TITLE BOUTS IN ALL ITS HISTORY

24 OF THEM HAVE BEEN CELEBRATED IN THE LT. FLYWEIGHT DIVISION IN JAPAN HELD IN ALL WBC´S HISTORY

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