The World Boxing Association’s second-ranked flyweight Anthony Olascuaga of the United States will challenge World Boxing Council and WBA light flyweight champion Kenshiro Teraji of B.M.B. Boxing Gym for the latter’s titles on Apr. 8 at Tokyo’s Ariake Arena following the disease of World Boxing Organization light flyweight champion Jonathan Gonzalez of Puerto Rico, according to organizers.

This is because Gonzalez was found to have been suffering from mycoplasma pneumonia this month, and Teiken Promotions was seeking a substitute for Gonzalez and boiled down to pick the 24-year-old Olascuaga due to the matter of visa acquisition, the company said on March 29.

Though Teraji had expressed his preference to the other likely substitute, the WBO’s 13th-ranked light flyweight Gerardo Zapata of Nicaragua, over Olascuaga because Zapata is left-handed just like Gonzalez. But Zapata could not clear the visa regulations due to the shortage of time, according to Teiken.
It will be Teraji’s second defense of the WBC title and his first of the WBA crown.

The right-handed Olascuaga has been serving as a sparring partner for world-ranked light flyweight Shokichi Iwata of Teiken Boxing Gym who will have a fight on Apr. 1 at Tokyo’s Korakuen Hall.

Olascuaga, who has a record of five straight wins, including three knockouts, after an amateur career, was supposed to face Jo Shiraishi of Shisei Boxing Gym on Apr. 15 in South Korea’s Incheon.
The 31-year-old Teraji, who has a 20-1 win-loss tally with 12 KOs, once sparred with Olascuaga during his training in the U.S. last year.