Heavy handed challenger for Kenshiro + WBC Stats

By James Blears

World Boxing Council light flyweight champion Kenshiro Teraji defends his crown for the ninth time in a voluntary, against hard hitting number ranked compatriot Masamichi Yabuki at the City Gym Kyoto on September 22^nd.

Home turf advantage in his ninth defense for Kenshiro (18-0, 10 KO`s) who`s been champion since 2017. His aim is to surpass the record of Yoko Gushiken who racked up thirteen successful defenses in this division as WBC champion including eight KO`s.

Standing squarely in his way, is Masamichi Yabuki, (12-3, 11 KO`s) who won the Japanese light flyweight title with a KO over Tsuyoshi Sato and defended it successfully with a UD over Toshimasa Ouchi. The challenger has a ninety one percent KO ratio and as such is a notable puncher, plus a viable threat. His pro debut was in 2016.

Masamichi has had three setbacks in his career thus far. Junto Nakatani defeated him via a UD. Japanese flyweight champion Seigo Yuri Akui stopped him in ninety one seconds, wobbling him and then trapping him on the ropes. And he lost a close split decision to unbeaten WBA Interim light flyweight champion Daniel Matellon, which was an instructive development lesson.

He possesses genuine power, which Kenshiro would do well to take into account, but mostly hasn`t fought at the exulted level of competition encountered by the champion. Tempering that power, he`s developing his ring craft and has a good long straight jab and an excellent body attack.

Masamichi is going to need to employ all of this and considerably more, because Kenshiro, who`s undefeated has developed into a very complete fighter and an excellent champion. He`s trained by his father Hisashi, who in this time won the OPBF light heavyweight title and the Japanese national title, retiring in 2000.

Kenshiro`s pro debut was in 2014. He won the WBC light flyweight title in 2017 in his tenth fight, against the very capable Mexican southpaw Ganigan Lopez. Kenshiro got the victory with a MD, via scores of 115-113 twice and one Judge saw it as a 114-114 draw.

Then on to the tall and stylish ex- champion from Mexico Pedro Guevara. Pedro started strongly but Kenshiro launched a ferocious body attack which was weathered, but slowed Pedro down. This fight was a MD with Kenshiro winning 115-113, 116-112 and a 114-114 on the third scorecard. He then TKO`d eleventh ranked Gilberto Pedroza of Panama, knocking him down twice and Referee Laurance Cole intervened to end the one sided drubbing in the fourth round.

The rematch with with Ganigan, which Kenshiro called for, was an altogether a different fight. A sinking body shot in the second felled Lopez, who wasn`t able to beat the count.

Kenshiro cut up ex IBF champion Milan Melindo, and the Ring Doctor advised that the fight be stopped in the seventh as the challenger`s vision was impared. He defeated tough as nails Mexican Saul “Baby” Juarez by a wide UD, and then stopped WBC light flyweight champion Jonathan Taconing with a fourth round TKO.

Randy Petalcorin was next and walked into a firestorm. He somehow beat the count after being knocked down thrice in a torrid third round. But couldn`t do so, when he was again felled in the fourth. Kenshiro`s opponent prior to this ninth defense, was Tetsuya Hisada, who was knocked down heavily in the second round, got up and finished the twelve rounds on his feet, but was comprehensively out-boxed and out-punched all the way.

Nicknamed “The Amazing Boy” Kenshiro`s first flush of youth has passed, but he`s still smilingly unmarked. His defensive capabilities have developed very well indeed, especially slipping punches, and he possesses a snappy left jab, which paves the way for some terrific body punching plus a particularly accurate and stunning offense with either hand to the head.

In this upcoming fight, the challenger will have to withstand and somehow negate Kenshiro`s extraordinary speed and proven marksmanship. Kenshiro has seldom been in any trouble. In winning the WBC Youth Championship against Rolly Summalpong, he briefly visited the canvass in round one, but got up, regrouped to win a UD.

One of the very best champions with an enviable longevity, Kenshiro is the firm favorite for this upcoming defense. He`s savvy enough to be careful in the early stages, in order to avoid Yabuki`s dangerous power, but the longer the fight goes on, the more he`s likely to dominate…and in style.

WBC STATS

WORLD BOXING COUNCIL

Jose SulaimánWBC HONORARY POSTHUMOUS LIFETIME PRESIDENT (+)

Mauricio Sulaimán WBC PRESIDENT

WBC LT. FLYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

TITLECITY GYMKYOTO, JAPAN

SEPTEMBER 22, 2021

THIS WILL BE WBC’S 2, 115 CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE FIGHT IN THE FIFTY-EIGHT YEAR HISTORY OF THE WBC

MASATO YAMASHITA & SHINSEI PROMOTIONS, PRESENT:

KENSHIRO TERAJI

(JAPAN)

WBC CHAMPION

Nationality: Japan

Date of Birth: January 6, 1992

Birthplace: Joyo, Kyoto, Japan

Residence: Uji, Kyoto, Japan

Age: 29

Record: 18-0-0, 10 ko’s

KO%: 55.6 %

Alias: The Amazing Boy

Guard: Orthodox

Total rounds: 124

WBC Titles fights: 9 (9-0-0)

Manager: Masato Yamashita

Promoter: Shinsei Promotions

MASAMICHIN YABUKI

(JAPAN)

#1 CONTENDER

Nationality: Japan

Date of Birth: July 9, 1992

Birthplace: Suzuka, Mie, Japan

Residence: Nagoya, Aichi, Japan

Age: 29

Record: 12-3-0, 11 ko’s

KO%: 73.3%

Alias:

Guard: Orthodox

Total rounds: 48

WBC Titles: 0 (0-0-0)

Manager: Toshiro Matsuo

Promoter: Midori Promotion

WBC´S LT. FLYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONS

NAME PERIOD AS CHAMPION

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 (SOUTH KOREA)
SAMAN SORJATURONG (THAILAND)
JORGE ARCE (MEXICO)
EDGAR SOSA (MEXICO)
YOSAM CHOI (SOUTH KOREA)
TADASHI TOMORI (JAPAN)

GENERAL INFORMATION OF THE LT. FLYWEIGHT DIVISION IN THE HISTORY OF THE WBC

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) TWICE

HUMBERTO GONZALEZ (MEXICO) THREE TIMES

OMAR NIÑO (MEXICO) TWICE

ADRIAN HERNANDEZ (MEXICO) TWICE

THE WBC HAS HELD 148 LT. FLYWEIGHT TITLE BOUTS IN ALL ITS HISTORY

25 OF THEM WORLD TITLE BOUTS HVE BEEN IN LT. FLYWEIGHT DIVISION IN JAPAN HELD IN THE HISTORY OF THE WBC

LT. FLYWEIGHT FIGHTS BY COUNTRY IN THE WBC HISTORY

MEXICO 36

KOREA 30

JAPAN 25

U S 24

VENEZUELA 15

THAILAND 14

PANAMA 3

ITALY 1

TOTAL 148

WBC TITLE BOUTS HELD IN JAPAN

295 BOUTS HAVE BEEN HELD IN JAPAN IN THE WBC HISTORY

THIS WILL BE THE 25^th. TITLE FIGHT IN THE LT. FLYWEIGHT DIVISION HAVE BEEN HELD IN JAPAN IN THE WBC HISTORY.

BREAKDOWN BY DIVISION:

BANTAM 59

FLY 50

SUPERFLY 37

MINIMUM 28

SUPERFEATHER 28

LT. FLY 25

SUPERBANTAM 20

FEATHER 15

SUPERWELTER 11

SUPERLIGHT 10

LIGHT 9

HEAVY 3

TOTAL 295