World Boxing Association and World Boxing Council light flyweight champion Kenshiro Teraji of B.M.B. Boxing Gym stopped challenger Hekkie Budler of South Africa in the ninth round and retained his titles on Sept. 18 at Tokyo’s Ariake Arena in the main event of ‘’Prime Video Presents Live Boxing 5.’’

  The technical knockout of the scheduled 12-rounder came 2 minutes and 19 seconds into the round when the 31-year-old Teraji unleashed a barrage of left and right combinations by putting his tenacious opponent against the ropes after landing a hard straight right to the head, prompting the referee to call off the fight.

  It was Teraji’s second successful defense of the WBA and his third of the WBC titles.

  After the fight, Teraji said, ‘’I failed to land damaging blows although I delivered punches to his body earlier in the fight. I feared that I would have to settle for a decision victory when the fight entered the latter part. My trainer (Kenta) Kato (of Misako Boxing Gym) then turned me on, and I was finally able to stop my opponent. I hope I can have my third title unification bout next. Would you (the audience) root for my effort (to the parties concerned) please.’’

  After getting off to a relatively quiet start, Teraji began to put a pressure on Budler by throwing left jabs and straight rights while moving side to side. But the 35-year-old Budler, currently ranked fourth in the division by the WBA and first by the WBC, coped with this by retaliating with his punches.

  Teraji suffered a cut from the corner of his right eye due to an accidental head butt in the fifth round, which motivated Teraji further as he visibly increased his offense. In the sixth round both exchanged fierce blows.

  Budler, who was a former WBA minimumweight and International Boxing Federation and WBA light flyweight champion, held up well but began to be tired. After a relatively quiet seventh round, Teraji fiercely came forward in the eighth stanza with Budler coping with it by utilizing his footwork.

  In the ninth round, Teraji further increased his offense and finally brought him into submission by force. At the time of the stoppage, all three judges had Teraji ahead by six to eight points in the first eight rounds.

  With the victory, Teraji improved his record to 22 wins, including 14 KOs, against a loss, while Budler has a 35-5 win-loss tally with 11 KOs.