Both champion Masamichi Yabuki of Midori Boxing Gym and top-ranked challenger Kenshiro Teraji of BMB Boxing Gym cleared weigh-ins in Kyoto on March 18 for the World Boxing Council light flyweight title match to be held on March 19 in the western Japanese city.

The 29-year-old Yabuki, who is making his first defense of the title he won from Teraji last September, tipped the scales at 48.8 kg (107.6 lbs), while Teraji, 30, weighed in at 48.7 kg (107.4 lbs). Both were under the class limit of 48.9 kg (107.8 lbs).

After the weigh-ins, Yabuki said, ‘’I will eat at Saizeriya, a Japanese chain of family-style Italian restaurants, and then I will take either broiled meat or broiled eel near my hotel (where he stays). I will take rice as well. When I ate at a Saizeriya restaurant two to three weeks ago, my condition the following day was good. At the restaurant, I will take squid ink pasta and rice gratin a la Milano.’’

‘’We both (Yabuki and Teraji) are confident. It will become a good fight since the clash of the two boxers under good conditions has to be good. I will try to fight as if I were a challenger.’’

For his part, Teraji, who took Samgye-tang or ginseng chicken soup, told reporters, ‘’My condition this time is completely different than before. I was also able to turn in a good practice.’’

In the preceding fight with Yabuki, Teraji had to fight only 12 days extension of the fight even if he suffered COVID-19 two weeks before the originally scheduled fight day.

‘’I am concentrating on winning the fight itself. I am stronger (than Yabuki). I really want to recover my confidence. I am glad that a lot of attention has been focused on the upcoming fight. I want to make myself better known by winning the fight.’’

The scheduled 12-rounder will be held at Kyoto City Gymnasium, the same place in the previous fight. Yabuki has a record of 13 wins, including 12 KOs, against three defeats. Teraji has an 18-1 win-loss tally with 10 KOs. The fight will be shown via AbemaTV, a Japanese live TV streaming website.
Photo by Shinsei Boxing Gym