Undefeated World Boxing Council light flyweight champion Kenshiro Teraji of BMB Boxing Gym decked top-ranked challenger Tetsuya Hisada of Harada Boxing Gym with a devastating straight right in the second round en route to a 12-round unanimous decision and retained his title on Apr. 24 at EDION Arena Osaka.

It was the eighth successful defense of the title the 29-year-old Teraji won from Ganigan Lopez of Mexico in May 2017.

Two of the three judges scored the fight 118-109 and the remaining judge had it 119-108 all in favor of Teraji, popularly known as Kenshiro.

With the defeat, the 36-year-old Hisada failed to become the oldest Japanese boxer to win a world title. The Japanese record of 35 years and nine months is still held by former three-division world champion Hozumi Hasegawa of Shinsei Boxing Gym.

It was Hisada’s second crack at a world title as he was decisioned by World Boxing Association light flyweight ‘’super’’ champion Hiroto Kyoguchi in October 2019.

After a quiet first round, Hisada came out strong from the second round by throwing left and right punches but was floored by Kenshiro’s well-timed right for a mandatory eight count.
Kenshiro was ahead on points by landing constant left jabs and straight rights to the head and body although Hisada sometimes hit the champion with his punches,While Hisada’s best moment came in the sixth round as he connected with two overhand rights to the head, Kenshiro, utilizing his constant left jabs to his advantage, shook them off.

During the latter part of the fight, Kenshiro dodged Hisada’s desperate onslaught by keeping his distance while sticking out left jabs.

With the victory, Kenshiro improved his unbeaten streak to 18, including 10 knockouts, while Hisada fell to a 34-11-2 win-loss-draw tally with 20 KOs.

The fight was initially planned to take place on Dec. 19 last year but was postponed due to Kenshiro’s misconduct of damaging a parked car on the premises of another person in a state of inebriation after drinking alcohol at a drinking establishment in Tokyo last July.

The Japan Boxing Commission imposed a three-month suspension of his boxer’s license effective on Dec. 1 in addition to a financial penalty and 48-200 hours of social engagement activities for his misconduct within the six months.

After the Apr. 24 fight Kenshiro directly apologized to Hisada for (the postponement of the title match) with tears in his eyes, adding, ‘’I am really happy that I could come through with the fight somehow. Since I did something that can never be undone, I hope to repay all persons concerned by continuing to win.’’