Boxing
Kenshiro Teraji vs Ricardo Sandoval Keys to Victory: Breaking down tactics of each fighter
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Kenshiro Teraji’s last bout should be in consideration for Fight of the Year honors.
On Wednesday, ‘The Amazing Boy’ returns to the ring, putting his unified WBC and WBA flyweight world titles on the line against Ricardo Sandoval from the Yokohama Buntai in Yokohama, Japan, and live on DAZN (UK & U.S. only).
Teraji (25-1, 16 knockouts) became a unified 112-pound champ after delivering a thrilling 12th-round TKO of Seigo Yuri Akui in March and is riding a seven-fight win streak.
He will be up against a Sandoval (26-2, 18 KOs) who enters the bout hot as well, having won six straight fights including his unanimous decision over Saleto Henderson in February.
Will Teraji put on another dazzling show in defending his titles? Or will Sandoval stop him in dramatic fashion to become the new unified flyweight champion of the world?
With the stakes high, DAZN News analyzes the keys to victory for both the champion and challenger entering this heated matchup.
Kenshiro Teraji’s Keys to Victory
Pressure with high volume
One of the keys to Kenshiro Teraji’s success has always been keeping his punch volume high.
The 33-year-old Kyoto, Japan product is at his best when he is constantly touching and poking away at opponents with an uptick of output.
Doing this against a heavier-handed Ricardo Sandoval is a major key to victory.
Punch in traffic
Watch Teraji over his last few fights and one will note a penchant for the unified champ counterpunching in traffic exceptionally well.
He tends to place his counterpunches with timing and clean accuracy, making them pointed weapons that frustrate and stun opponents.
‘The Amazing Boy’ did this against Akui in March and previously in October against Cristofer Rosales, fracturing his nose, and counterpunching in traffic helped him notch both victories.
Uncork right hand with timing
Against a fellow pressuring fighter like Sandoval, Teraji must exhibit timing with his right hand.
He uncorks this at the right spot with an incoming Sandoval and it can change the course of this fight, turning the challenger’s aggression against him effectively to retain his titles.
Ricardo Sandoval’s Keys to Victory
Walk Teraji down
As the slightly bigger man, Ricardo Sandoval must make it a point to cut off the ring and walk Kenshiro Teraji down.
His ability to do this early could put Sandoval in the driver’s seat of dictating the fighting flow of this bout.
Dig to the body
Sandoval bangs away at the body with pounding, crunching output very well.
In particular, the way he cranks relentless right hooks to the midsection is outstanding.
Doing this against the Japanese world champion could slow Teraji down enough for Sandoval to land something even more damaging upstairs.
Shatter the guard with inside boxing
Though Teraji keeps a high, disciplined guard, it has enough lapse in it for Sandoval to split it and shatter it altogether.
As his forward fighting and body attack work in unison, Sandoval should be able to force cramped quarters with the unified champion.
And when he does, Sandoval would be wise to unload compact combinations inside, launching an uppercut to blast an unsuspecting Teraji as well.
This phone booth fighting could lead to a new unified flyweight champion of the world.
