Japan’s summer fight season peaks on 30 July when unified flyweight king Kenshiro “The Amazing Boy” Teraji defends his WBA & WBC crowns against California contender Ricardo Sandoval at Yokohama Arena. Teraji (25-1, 16 KOs) is fresh off March’s thriller with Seigo Yuri Akui that made him a two-belt champion; Sandoval (26-2, 18 KOs) has stopped nine of his last ten and seeks his first world title after a single narrow defeat since 2016.
The co-feature delivers a high-octane bantamweight clash as newly elevated WBA champion Antonio Vargas meets former flyweight titlist Daigo Higa. Vargas (19-1, 11 KOs) rebuilt quietly after a stunning 2019 knockout loss and now tests that resurgence against Higa (21-3-2, 19 KOs), whose all-action wars with Yoshiki Takei and Seiya Tsutsumi produced one decision defeat and a draw but plenty of fireworks.
Opening the triple-header, WBA light-flyweight belt-holder Erick Rosa (8-0, 2 KOs) attempts his first defence at 108 lbs versus unbeaten Japanese puncher Kyosuke Takami (9-0, 7 KOs). The 23-year-old Takami has stopped seven of nine opponents and leaps into world-level waters against the slick Dominican southpaw who previously reigned at minimumweight.
With three world titles and a blend of precision boxing and knockout power, Teiken’s Yokohama bill promises to keep Asia’s lower-weight divisions humming and could set the tone for autumn unification talk—if the champions survive.
Fight card:
▪️Kenshiro Teraji vs. Ricardo Rafael Sandoval, 12 rounds, for Teraji’s WBA and WBC flyweight titles
▪️Antonio Vargas vs. Daigo Higa, 12 rounds, for Vargas’ WBA bantamweight title
▪️Erick Rosa vs. Kyosuke Takami, 12 rounds, for the vacant WBA light flyweight title
▪️Tensho Isobe vs. Joe Umezawa, 4 rounds, super bantamweight
▪️Yuki Taniguchi vs. Yukihiro Mebius Kitamura, 4 rounds, middleweight
