Kenshiro Teraji is looking to make the move to flyweight and fight for the WBC title.
Kenshiro Teraji plans to move up to flyweight and fight for the vacant WBC title, with ESPN’s Salvador Rodriguez reporting that Teraji has officially requested the fight with the sanctioning body.
Teraji currently holds both the WBC and WBA junior flyweight titles, and generally speaking sanctioning bodies allow a champion to move up and fight for another if desired.
Teraji (23-1, 14 KO) first won the WBC 108 lb belt in 2017, and held it until an upset loss to Masamichi Yabuki in 2021, making five successful defenses. He regained the belt from Yabuki in an immediate rematch in Mar. 2022, then demolished Hiroto Kyoguchi less than eight months later to unify with the WBA title.
Since then, the 32-year-old Teraji has made three defenses of his unified crown, most recently on Jan. 23 in a hard-fought win over Carlos Canizales.
Teraji has fought in the junior flyweight division for his entire career, turning pro 10 years ago this August.
The WBC flyweight title was until recently held by Julio Cesar Martinez, who made the decision to vacate and move up in weight himself in late May.
As of now, the WBC’s top five contenders at flyweight are Angel Ayala, Francisco Rodriguez Jr, Cristofer Rosales, Sunny Edwards, and Galal Yafai. Ayala could take a fight with Teraji, but has also been given an IBF order to face Dave Apolinario for their vacant title.
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