WBC Special Preview: Teraji vs Sandoval
Boys will be BoysBy James Blears
Kenshiro ‘The Amazing Boy’ Teraji will defend his unified flyweight titles for the first time at the Yokohama Buntai, Yokohama on Wednesday July 30th against challenger Ricardo Rafael ‘El Nino’ Sandoval.
North, South, East and West… home is best. Unlike Naoya Inoue or Junto Nakatani, Kenshiro hasn’t yet ventured outside of his native Japan, let alone the East of Eden.
He has brilliantly won his WBC light flyweight and flyweight titles on home turf. Rafael, who is from Rialto, California, has a long journey before orientating himself to contest his first world title.
To date, the only stuttering stumble in Teraji ‘s illustrious career came when he tried to return to the ring too soon after contracting Covid and the lingering after effects weakened his slender body.
Back then, none of us really knew how the virus affected the immune system and what it was capable of inflicting over a given time scale. He was a mere shadow of himself in defending his WBC light flyweight title against capable and well-conditioned Masamichi Yabuki, being TKOd in 10 rounds.
Towards the end of that fight, normally robust Teraji , who is as strong as a lion, was as weak as a kitten. Yet in the rematch, a fully recovered Kenshiro roared back and went though Masamichi like a dose of salts, KOing him in three one-sided rounds. Point conclusively proven. He was back!
Yet since that time, Kenshiro hasn’t been able to stop any of his ensuing six opponents in less than seven rounds. One went the full distance and with the other, it took everything he had, to inflict a last gasp stoppage.
The gradient is getting ever steeper and the first flush of youth is now long gone, as Kenshiro is now aged 33. The author John Updike wrote: “Life is a hill that gets steeper, the more you climb.”
Two fights in particular have proved to be stern acid tests for Teraji and how much have they taken out of him? They have sorely tested him, his dig deep resolve, pushing his will to win, to the limit and he has proved his championship mettle by coming through both with grit and determination. They were gruelling ordeals.
A great champion can be measured, assessed and judged by how he deals with adversity, specifically when the yellow brick road transforms into a highway to hell.
In his second reign as WBC light flyweight champion, he took on the barrel-chested Carlos Canizales and it proved a marathon, plus something of a nightmare.
Things were initially going all Teraji’s way, and it seemed like it was going to be a short night in Osaka, when he dropped Carlos with a sweeping right in round two. But Carlos got up and fiercely fought back, knocking down Kenshiro with his own big right, one round later.
Things got progressively harder, with Carlos landing a high percentage of jarring straight and curving scimitar rights on Teraji, who to his credit, absorbed them and fought back with two-handed salvos. Yet he was under the cosh by round 10 and milling on the retreat in the final round, evading, laterally and literally elusive. He deservedly won a MD, but it was close and it was noticeably uncomfortable.
Teraji moved up to flyweight contesting the vacant WBC title, taking on former light flyweight champion Cristofer ‘’The Whip’’ Rosales, dominating and winning via a TKO in nine one sided rounds. Then came his biggest career test under fire, against WBA flyweight champion and compatriot Seigo Yuri Akui.
It was an intense to and fro battle of wills with neither man readily prepared to cede ground and retreat. Again, Kenshiro was getting caught with a lot of straight rights and overhand rights. Yet he proved that he has a strong chin and durable resolve, as he didn`t flinch, soaked them up and came back with his own attack.
Seigo was ahead on two the Judges’ cards going into the final round. It was now or never! Kenshiro sensed the fight was ebbing away, he needed to turn the tide, and it was evident that his opponent was spent, only having the vestige of dregs to offer. So, with impeccable timing, this is where he showed his class and sheer ruthless brilliance.
He gritted his teeth and launched a blistering, lambasting attack on Seigo, whose nose was bleeding heavily and had a badly cut lip, teetering on rubbery legs. Sheer willpower propelled Teraji forward and he bombarded Seigo with unremitting stiletto combinations. Groggy and exhausted, Seigo was saved by the enwrapping arms of the Referee and from him, there was no complaint, just copious tears of disappointment. He`d tried his utmost but come up short.
Teraji had been reached the brink, but then pulled victory back from the jaws of defeat. He said: “Seigo was mentally strong. This will boost my future.”
He even mentioned WBC and WBO super-flyweight champion Jessie ‘Bam’ Rodriguez as being on his future wish list hit list.
Kenshiro has built a very impressive record of 25-1, 16 KOs, winning world titles at two different weights.
He is a ruthlessly efficient classy operator and cool customer in the ring. Yet… previously he has launched his attacks with lightning speed and then proved quick-silver elusive, retreating in nippy fashion, after landing his blows.
Noticeably, over his most recent several fights, he’s getting tagged appreciably more often, particularly with the blight of the right. This proves his durability under fire, although it’s noticeable he is not as nimble, supple or versatile as he once was. None of us are. The fundamental things apply as time goes by.
Ricardo Sandoval, as his nickname of Nino suggests is still baby-faced. Young and tender, aged 26, he’s seven years younger than the champion.
Ricardo Rafael turned pro in 2016, two years after Kenshiro. So far, he’s fought 155 rounds. Kenshiro has fought 197 rounds, against a much higher calibre of opponent.
Ricardo has fought mostly in his home State of California, but also in Mexico and Canada. His record is 26-2, 18 KOs. He’s never been stopped. He has previously won the WBC Youth Intercontinental flyweight belt, but this is his first tilt at the big time and it’s a long way from home
It’s a daunting challenge and a tall order. To win he’ll need to accomplish the fight of his life, tap and channel the fountain of youth and expose Teraji’s recent tendency and vulnerability in getting tagged with big right hands. The Japanese fans are polite and welcoming to visiting fighters, the officiating is scrupulously fair and honest, but Ricardo is in an environment that he’s never experienced before, while the champion is on familiar and comfortable home turf.
Ricardo Rafael needs a RR-Rolls Royce acceleration to defeat the elite and to unseat Kenshiro.
He has good credentials. He lost his fifth fight to Alfonso Ceja by MD in Tijuana. But his first big test was against one time WBC title challenger Jay Harris in an IBF eliminator and he won via KO in round eight.
Ricardo fought David Jimenez in a WBA eliminator. He was knocked down in round seven but got up and fought back well. That visit to the canvass meant he lost a close MD. But still he persisted.
As recently as February, he went 10 testing rounds to defeat teak-tough Saleto Hunderson and win the WBO Silver flyweight title via UD at the Honda Center, Anaheim.
Now he’ll need to rev up in poll position on the grid in Japan for his biggest formula one fight. He’s two inches taller than Kenshiro, so he needs to use this height advantage and he must force the champion on to the back foot and to set a pace that is uncomfortable for the older man.
Kenshiro is a superb attacking fighter, but nowhere near as effective on the retreat.
As champion, Kenshiro’s ethos will be to train with the intensity and hunger of a challenger. While RR must train like a champion. It’s not about feelings, it’s more about filling gaps, exploiting vulnerabilities and capitalising upon mistakes.
At one time, every champion was a challenger. The ones who make it, seized opportunity with both hands when it knocked, and are then singularly, stingingly determined to keep what is theirs.
Jack Dempsey succinctly said: “Nobody owes anybody a living, but everyone is entitled to a chance.”
Tale of the Tape
KENSHIRO “The Amazing Boy” TERAJI (Japan)
WBC Flyweight World Champion, 2nd Defense
WBA Flyweight World Champion, 1st Defense
Two-time WBC Light Flyweight World Champion, 12 Defenses
Age: 33
DOB: January 6, 1992
Residence: Uji, Kyoto, Japan
Birthplace: Joyo, Kyoto, Japan
Record: 25-1, 16 KOs
Total rounds: 197
World championship fights: 16-1, 11 KOs
Height: 5’4.5” – 164cm
Reach: 64” – 163cm
Stance: Right-handed
RICARDO “El Nino” SANDOVAL (USA)
Ranked WBC #2 at Flyweight
Former WBC Silver Flyweight Champion
Age: 26
DOB: February 5, 1999
Residence: Rialto, California
Birthplace: Montclair, California
Record: 26-2, 18 KOs
Total rounds: 155
Height: 5’6” – 168cm
Reach: 67” – 170cm
Stance: Right-handed
Betting Odds
1/5 Teraji
7/2 Sandoval
16/1 Draw
WBC Top 10 Flyweight Champions
1. Miguel Canto (Mexico)
2. Pongsaklek Wonjongkam (Thailand)
3. Chartchai Chionoi (Thailand)
4. Efren Torres (Mexico)
5. Yuri Arbachakov (Russia)
6. Roman Gonzalez (Nicaragua)
7. Sot Chitalada (Thailand)
8. Akira Yaegashi (Japan)
9. Betulio Gonzalez (Venezuela)
10. Shoji Oguma (Japan)