THE RESULT: Kenshiro Teraji secured a majority decision against Carlos Canizales today (January 23) in Osaka, Japan. Teraji’s ability to fight in multiple styles allowed him to recuperate and ultimately retain his WBA and WBC light-flyweight belts by scores of 114-112, 114-112 and 113-113.
KEY MOMENTS: Two big moments occurred early in the fight. The first knockdown happened in the second round when Teraji landed a smart counter right on Canizales. The second knockdown occurred in the third round when Canizales landed a flush right hand on Teraji’s forehead.
RECORDS: Teraji’s record now stands at 23-1 (14), while Canizales falls to 26-2-1 (19).
TALKING POINT: Teraji took rounds off as the fight neared its conclusion, giving Canizales hope and momentum. Despite this, there was a sense that Canizales felt he had done enough to win when the final bell sounded.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? A rematch makes complete sense after such a close fight, especially considering the scorecards and the age of both boxers. However, both fighters must first heal from the grueling affair.