On March 13 at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, WBC World Flyweight Champion Kenshiro Teraji (BMB) — now 24 wins (15 KOs), 1 loss — faced WBA World Flyweight Champion Seigo Yuri Akui (Kurashiki Moriyasu) — now 21 wins (11 KOs), 2 losses, 1 draw — in a world title unification bout. Teraji secured a TKO victory at 1:31 of the final 12th round to unify the titles.
From the opening round, both fighters engaged in a fierce battle for pace. Rather than relying on his trademark in-and-out boxing style, Teraji chose to confront Akui head-on in close-range exchanges. The bout became a test of endurance and willpower, with neither fighter yielding an inch as the match headed into the final round.
Up to that point, two of the judges had Akui in the lead. However, Teraji landed a powerful right hand that visibly hurt Akui and launched a relentless assault. Although Akui momentarily held on, Teraji unleashed another flurry of punches, prompting referee Katsuhiko Nakamura to stop the fight.
Teraji’s flurry of punches that turned the fight around at the last moment was nothing short of brilliant, but Akui also showcased his strengths in what was an outstanding battle.
“It was a fight to see whose spirit would break first. I barely pulled off the win in the final moments. I owe it all to my team,” said Teraji.
After the fight, Teraji expressed his eagerness to face WBC Super Flyweight Champion Jesse Rodriguez (USA/Teiken), who holds a perfect record of 21 wins (14 KOs), signaling his strong ambition to capture a world title in a third weight class.
While there has been some criticism of referee Nakamura’s stoppage, protecting the fighter’s life is the top priority — it’s a difficult and delicate issue.
This article has been translated and published with permission from BOXING MASTER.
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