Junior flyweight champ Kenshiro Teraji is scheduled to defend his belt against Carlos Canizales in the early morning hours Tuesday (U.S. time) in Japan.
KENSHIRO TERAJI (22-1, 14 KOs)
VS. CARLOS CANIZALES (26-1-1, 19 KOs)
- Date: Tuesday, Jan. 23
- Time: 4 a.m. ET / 1 a.m. PT (main event later in show)
- Where: Edion Arena, Osaka, Japan
- TV/Stream: ESPN+
- Division: Junior flyweight (108 pounds)
- At stake: Teraji’s WBA and WBC titles
- Odds: Teraji 6-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
- Also on the card: Artem Dalakian vs. Seigo Yuri Akui, flyweights (for Dalakian’s title)
- Prediction: Teraji KO 10
- Background: Teraji is a two-time 108-pound champion who will be taking part in his 15th title fight in 24 career bouts when he faces Canizales in the early morning hours U.S. time. The 32-year-old resident of Kyoto has been perfect since his upset knockout loss to countryman Masamichi Yabuki in 2021, which cost him his WBC title. He rebounded to knock out Yabuki in three rounds in the rematch to regain his belt in 2022, stop Hiroto Kyoguchi in seven to become a unified champion later that year, stop Anthony Olascuago in nine rounds in April of last year and KO former beltholder Hekkie Budler in nine last September. Teraji, who has fought his entire career at 108 pounds, has said he will consider moving up to 112 if he doesn’t get another title-unification bout. He has expressed interest in challenging 112-pound titleholder “Bam” Rodriguez. Canizales is a 30-year-old former title challenger from Venezuela. He was stopped in six rounds by then-WBA betlholder Esteban Bermudez in 2021 in Mexico, after which he has beaten four consecutive second-tier opponents. Also on the card, WBA 112-pound titleholder Artem Dalakian (22-0, 15 KOs) is scheduled to defend his belt against mandatory challenger Seigo Yuri Akui (18-2-1, 11 KOs).
