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By: Sean Crose
With the unified junior flyweight championship at stake, the 20-1 Kenshiro Teraji stepped into the ring Tuesday in Saitama, Japan to face the 16-1 Hiroto Kyoguchi in a scheduled 12 rounder. WBC titlist Teraji and WBA titlist Kyoguchi had previously met numerous times in the amateurs, but were now battling for professional high acclaim.
The first round saw each moving and jabbing well, though Teraji may have looked a bit sharper. Kyoguchi seemed to be too open a target for Teraji’s overhand rights in the second. Indeed, by the end of the round, Teraji was doing considerable work on his opponent. Although he had what appeared to be an effective high guard, Kyoguchi seemed to be a step behind his man in the third. Throwing in combinations and maintaining range, Teraji was essentially controlling the action.
In truth, it was hard not to be impressed by Teraji by the fourth, for the man was putting on a boxing clinic. By the last part of the round it seemed he was truly getting to Kyoguchi…though Kyoguchi was able to land well on Teraji several times himself turning the tide in a big way before the bell sounded.
The fifth proved that Teraji was back to form, as he dropped his man with a body shot. Kyoguchi got to his feet, and Teraji went for broke. Kyogyuchi was able to survive the round – in fact, he was able to engage effectively himself before the chapter ended. In fact, Teraji found himself in retreat before the end of the chapter.
Although there were no knockdowns in the sixth, the fight was clearly showing each man having his moments. By the seventh however, Teraji was able to land an overland right that led the referee to step in and stop the fight, as Kyoguchi was stumbling backwards towards the ropes. Teraji is now the WBC and WBA unified junior flyweight titlist.
