Teraji Calls For A Dangerous Fight With Rodriguez
Kenshiro “The Amazing Boy” Teraji (25-1, 16 KOs) appears ready to hunt for bigger fish in reigning WBC super flyweight champion Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez (21-0, 14 KOs). However, fighting Bam could be a case of Teraji biting off more than he can chew.
Teraji is coming off a thrilling twelfth-round stoppage win over Seigo Yuri Akui to become the unified flyweight champion on March 13. Following his victory, Teraji held a press event for the local boxing media in Tokyo.
HUNTING FOR BIGGER FISH TO FRY
Reflecting on his win, he praised Akui. The unified flyweight champion disclosed that he intends to move up to 115 pounds. When asked who the next target was, the Japanese fighter said the following:
(translated from Japanese) .“I want to fight Bam […] I hope to be able to compete in more and more high-profile matches.”
Teraji is the second Japanese fighter to become a unified champion in two-weight classes. He’s looking to reach higher heights and win a world title in three weight divisions. However, a battle with Rodriguez would be a very tough hill to climb.
A two-division champion, many pundits rank Bam as the best at 115lbs. Moreover, he has the skill and physical prowess to give Teraji hell in the ring. The Amazing Boy has never faced anyone like the Texas champion.
Rodriguez fights with a high ring IQ, timing, and distance and is an excellent counter-puncher along with sound defense. The WBC champion has power in both hands, is a good insider fighter, and has some of the best footwork in boxing.
BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR
While Teraji has a terrific left jab and is talented offensively, his defense can be porous. Throughout his career, he’s drawn into slugfests and is susceptible to getting hit with right hands. To beat Rodriguez, Teraji must be disciplined and tighten up defensively. Otherwise, Bam would use his footwork to move in and out, create angles, and tag Teraji with combination after combination.
In the sole defeat of his career, Teraji foolishly went to war and paid for it by getting stopped by the reigning WBO 108-pound champion Masamichi Yabuki in September 2021. From any logical aficionado’s viewpoint, Rodriguez is an infinitely better and more advanced fighter than Yabuki.
Kudos to Teraji for attempting to reach greater glory. Rodriguez versus Teraji would be a matchup of two fighters ranked inside the 3KingsBoxing.com Top Ten Fighter Rankings. Both men have a business relationship with Japan’s Teiken promotion. However, styles make fights. On paper, Teraji is cruising for a bruisin’ if he dares step into the right with Bam.
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