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Kenshiro Teraji vs. Ricardo Sandoval full card results, highlights as 'El Nino' rips titles from 'Amazing Boy'

Dom Farrell

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Kenshiro Teraji vs. Ricardo Sandoval full card results, highlights as 'El Nino' rips titles from 'Amazing Boy' image

時事

Ricardo Sandoval climbed off the canvas to secure a shock split-decision win over Kenshiro Teraji and lift the WBC and WBA flyweight titles.

Teraji came into this contest on the back of his incredible battle with Seigo Yuri Akui. 'The Amazing Boy' stopped his Japanese compatriot in the 12th and final round of a 2025 fight-of-the-year contender.

Now 33, the former light flyweight king was again forced into the final session by a tenacious, motivated and younger opponent. Despite decking Sandoval in round five, Teraji could not put the 26-year-old away and seemed to feel the pace during the second half of an unrelenting contest.

Teraji's look of resignation at the end of a fight that could have gone either way was ultimately telling. One judge saw it 114-113 for the champion, but scores of 115-112 and (an absurd) 117-110 gave the brilliant Sandoval a career-defining triumph.

WATCH: Kenshiro Teraji vs. Ricardo Sandoval on DAZN

Teraji got to work in the opener, stepping in with his thudding left jab to control the action. Sandoval was unable to find anything too effective in the way of counters, but a nice right found the mark for the challenger when they exchanged in round two.

As he rose for the third, a graze along Teraji's right cheekbone was visible. Although only slightly wounded, the champion was persuaded to up the intensity. That meant increased opportunities for Sandoval to time the right hand.

The fourth was another good one for 'El Nino', even though Teraji enjoyed some success when Sandoval over-reached with a couple of right hands. Those were warnings he did not heed and Teraji detonated a peach of a one-two in the fifth to put the visitor on the seat of his shorts.

Teraji's body work was also starting to have an effect and a jarring uppercut made life more complicated for Sandoval in round six. He came back firing defiantly and round seven was better for Sandoval as he blasted to the body smartly, forcing Teraji back as he put shots together in bunches.

The American faded towards the end of the session and, in eight, Teraji re-established control with the jab. Sandoval's winging rights meant the captivating back-and-forth remained and he managed to time his backhand effectively over the Teraji jab a couple of times in round nine.

Into the championship rounds, Sandoval was the busier and sharper fighter. Teraji landed a withering right in the 10th, but waiting to set up the big shot was a flawed ploy given the volume and variety coming in the other direction. When Sandoval was backed up against the ropes in round 11, he fired back brilliantly.

Some meaty Teraji rights to the body slowed the tenacious Californian before an uppercut forced him to retreat. The action in the final round was fittingly tremendous, with the battered right side of Teraji's face telling the tale of a gruelling night at the office.

His crunching right hand forced Sandoval to retreat a couple more times, but Teraji's demeanour at the final bell told a story that was confirmed by the scorecards, those grounded in reality or otherwise.

Teraji vs. Sandoval undercard: More heartache for Higa, Takami batters Rosa

Daigo Higa's bid to become a bantamweight world champion suffered more remarkable heartbreak as he boxed to a unanimous decision draw against WBA champion Antonio Vargas. Higa (21-3-3, 19 KOs) had the same result against compatriot Seiya Tsutsumi in February, with injuries subsequently sidelining his compatriot, who has been declared the WBA's 'champion in recess'.

Tsutsumi was ringside to watch a gripping battle unfold, one that appeared to be breaking Higa's way when he decked Vargas (19-1-1, 11 KOs) with a left hook in round four. But the American smartly hung in the contest and scored a knockdown of his own in an enthralling final round.

That 10-8 round proved to be crucial in the final analysis as all three judges scored the contest 113-113. Tsutsumi entered the ring afterwards to congratulate Vargas and that fight would appear to be next on the agenda. For former flyweight world champion Higa, who suffered a narrow decision loss to WBO bantamweight ruler Yoshiki Takei last September, his wait for two-weight glory goes excruciatingly on.

Undefeated knockout artist Kyosuke Takami (10-0, 8 KOs) produced a statement performance as he battered WBA light flyweight champion Erick Rosa (8-1, 2 KOs) to a stoppage defeat over 10 one-sided rounds.

The Sporting News is following the Teraji vs. Sandoval card, updating live results and providing a full report on the main event.

Kenshiro Teraji vs. Ricardo Sandoval full card results

  • Ricardo Sandoval  def. Kenshiro Teraji (c) to win the WBA and WBC flyweight titles
  • Antonio Vargas (c) drew w/ Daigo Higa (UD12); the champion retains the WBA bantamweight title
  • Kyosuke Takami def. Erick Rosa (c) (TKO 10/12) to win the WBA light flyweight title
  • Joe Umezawa def. Tensho Isobe (SD 4); Bantamweights
  • Yuki Taniguchi def. Yukihiro Mebius Kitamura (TKO 2/4); Middleweights

Kenshiro Teraji vs. Ricardo Sandoval tune-in info

  • Stream: DAZN, Matchroom Boxing YouTube channel

Kenshiro Teraji vs. Ricardo Sandoval will be available on DAZN.

A DAZN monthly subscription is $19.99 on a 12-month contract or $24.99 month-to-month in the United States. The annual subscription is $224.99. 

In the UK, a DAZN monthly subscription costs £9.99 on a 12-month contract or £19.99 month-to-month. An annual subscription is £99.99.

Dom Farrell

Dom is the senior content producer for Sporting News UK. He previously worked as fan brands editor for Manchester City at Reach Plc. Prior to that, he built more than a decade of experience in the sports journalism industry, primarily for the Stats Perform and Press Association news agencies. Dom has covered major football events on location, including the entirety of Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup in Paris and St Petersburg respectively, along with numerous high-profile Premier League, Champions League and England international matches. Cricket and boxing are his other major sporting passions and he has covered the likes of Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury, Wladimir Klitschko, Gennadiy Golovkin and Vasyl Lomachenko live from ringside.