Undefeated World Boxing Council light flyweight champion Kenshiro Teraji of BMB Boxing Gym will defend his title against top-ranked compatriot Tetsuya Hisada of Harada Boxing Gym on Apr. 24 at EDION Arena Osaka, western Japan, organizers said on March 8.

The bout, Teraji’s eighth defense of the title he captured in May 2017, was rearranged from the originally scheduled Dec. 19 last year following his misconduct of damaging a parked car on the premises of another person in a state of inebriation after drinking liquor at a drinking establishment last July.

The Japan Boxing Commission imposed a three-month suspension of his boxer’s license effective on Dec. 1 in addition to a 3 million-yen (about $29,000) financial penalty and 48-200 hours of social engagement activities for his misconduct within the six months. He apologized the damaged car owner for what he did and reached an out-of-court settlement.

After the suspension was lifted this month, the fight between them was resurrected. The 29-year-old Teraji said at the day’s press conference along with Hisada, ‘’I feel really sorry for having caused the cancellation of the initially planned fight and trouble to Mr. Hisada and officials concerned with the gym.’’

Teraji continued, ‘’I will train hard and am determined to show a good fight. Mr. Hisada is a hard puncher with good technical capabilities. I will stick to my style of boxing so that I will not be hit.
’’ For his part, the 36-year-old Hisada said, ‘’When the fight was cancelled in December, I felt really shocked. But I have increased the number of sparring sessions and will show everything I will perform at my full potential.’’

‘’Also, the gym’s president Jitsuo Harada, who trained me from when I was a high-school student, died of cancer last Dec. 21. The late president told me the importance of not to give things up easily. I will fight with that spirit in mind.’’

It will be Hisada’s second title challenge. He lost to World Boxing Association light flyweight champion Hiroto Kyoguchi of Watanabe Boxing Gym in October 2019.

Teraji has a record of 17 wins, including 10 knockouts while Hisada has a 34-10-2 win-loss-draw tally with 20 KOs.

The promoter of the fight Masato Yamashita, Shinsei Boxing Gym chairman, said, ‘’The fight will be the first men’s world title fight recognized by the WBC this year amid COVID-19. So, up to half of the seating capacity of the arena will be open to spectators. Fans will enjoy the fight so that they can get energy and courage.’’