By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda
WBC, WBA light flyweight champion Kenshiro Teraji (23-1, 14 KOs), 107.5, barely retained his belts as he exchanged a knockdown with ex-WBA titlist Carlos Canizales (26-2-1, 19 KOs), 107.75, and finally eked out a majority decision over twelve grueling rounds on Tuesday in Osaka, Japan. The official tallies were as follows: Omar Mintun (Mexico), Jun-Bae Lim (Korea) both 114-112 for Teraji, Jeremy Hayes (Canada) 113-113. The referee was Luis Pabon (Puerto Rico).
It might be Teraji’s toughest bout in his career except his one and only losing fight to Masamichi Yabuki.
Teraji, a versatile boxer-puncher with good footwork and jabbing, started comfortably, and decked Canizales with a countering right midway in round two.
The Venezuelan, however, turned loose and had the Japanese reeling to the ropes to score a knockdown back in the third.
After that, it became a give-and-take war. Continue reading “Teraji edges Canizales, keeps WBC, WBA 108lb belts”