Matt Bozeat says a Tuesday morning fight on DAZN could make for the best action of 2022
Maybe you should take Tuesday morning off and watch DAZN.
They’re screening a lightweight unification from Japan that’s sure to be there or there in the Fight of the Year votes.
Kenshiro Teraji (19-1) and Hiroto Kyoguchi (16-0), 1st and 2nd respectively at 108lbs for ourselves and others, are proven world-class boxers, who produces quality work at a high tempo and seems vulnerable.
Matchroom promotes a fight taking place at the Super Arena in Saitama.
It was a match that had been debated since December 2018, when Kyoguchi jumped to 108lbs to dethrone WBA Super Champion Hekkie Budler (32-3) with a 10th inning stop.
That win made Kyoguchi the second-division world champion in just 12 fights. He previously won the 105lbs title just 15 months after making his professional debut.
Teraji placed first with 108lbs after reporting the only loss of his record in March.
The first battle between Teraji and Masamichi Yabuki is one of the best fights of 2021.
Constantly shaken by early punches, Teraji rallied to put Yabuki on the brink in the ensuing rounds. Teraji is only one or two away from winning in rounds 9 and 10order – before Yabuki found a body shot that took everything from him.
That ended Teraji’s four-and-a-half-year reign as WBC champion.
In his defense, he was troubled by covid during the build-up – the fight had to be pushed back 12 days – and the rematch was completely different.
Teraji was dominant from the start, pushing the aggressive Yabuki back with a straight span or two before shifting his attacks down the stairs in the third round.
The punches knocked out Yabuki’s arm and left him defenseless against a right arm that Teraji aimed at his chin.
The shot knocks him over and the fight is over.
Two years younger at 28, Kyoguchi was last seen in June, stopping Esteban Bermudez (14-3-2) in eight thrilling rounds in Guadalajara.
It was Kyoguchi’s first fight in 15 months, but he settled quickly and soon acquired the famous Mexican bloodline.
Even though Bermudez regrouped, he was trailing for most of the round and the reason the score was so close after seven rounds was because the champion was down a few points for using head punches. and rabbit.
The second penalty came late in the seventh inning after a series of cuts brought Bermudez to his knees.
He returned to his corner on his rubber feet in front of the bell and, knowing Bermudez was struggling, Kyoguchi jumped on top of him at the beginning of season eight, overwhelming him with a relentless barrage of punches for until the referee jumps in.
The way Kyoguchi delivered his punches that night drew comparisons to Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez, but so far he hasn’t had things his way.
4ft 9½ in Axel Aragon Vega (14-3-1) rallied two points on one card and leveled on the third before being ruled out because of a hand injury and Tetsuya Hisada kicked Kyoguchi multiple times and made him take his eyes off left. Close the defense first.
Hisada provides a form line for Teraji-Kyoguchi.
Eighteen months after he caused Kyoguchi all that trouble, Teraji had a much easier night with his countryman, beating the 36-year-old in second place on his way to victory. Far away.
That doesn’t happen, of course, as Teraji handles Hisada more comfortably than Kyoguchi, which he will win on Tuesday, but the performance against the usual opponent was a guide and also showed a contrast in style. their way.
Teraji is a fighter who can fight, while Kyoguchi is a fighter who can fight. Kyoguchi favors hooks and top lane, while Teraji is most effective when he’s behind his stab – and he can make fewer mistakes than Kyoguchi.
We ask Teraji to use his skills to win a Battle of the Year candidate in points.
