Kenshiro Teraji (25-1, 16 KOs), widely regarded as one of the most technically gifted fighters in boxing today, will put his WBA and WBC flyweight titles on the line against Ricardo “El Niño” Sandoval (26-2, 18 KOs) on July 30.

Teraji is coming off a dominant performance on March 13 at Tokyo’s Kokugikan, where he stopped Seigo Yuri Akui via 12th-round TKO in a statement victory. The Japanese champion continues to build an impressive legacy at 112 pounds, blending elite footwork, sharp combinations, and relentless pace.

His challenger, Ricardo Sandoval, enters with momentum of his own. Fighting out of Rialto, California, Sandoval has rattled off six consecutive wins since suffering a narrow majority decision loss to David Jimenez in 2022. Now 26-2 with 18 knockouts, Sandoval is a highly ranked contender across all major sanctioning bodies—No. 3 with the WBA and IBF, No. 4 with the WBC, and No. 2 with the WBO—positioning him as one of the most dangerous challengers Teraji has faced in recent years.

This promises to be a battle of precision versus power. Teraji will likely use his trademark movement and crisp combinations to establish control early, forcing Sandoval to chase. While Sandoval has the power and aggression to make this a dangerous fight in the middle rounds, Teraji’s experience, angles, and accuracy are projected to neutralize the challenger’s momentum. Expect a high-volume chess match that gradually tilts toward the defending champion, ending in a clear points victory after 12 competitive rounds.

Teraji is one of the most polished technicians in the lower weight divisions. His footwork is world-class—constantly circling, angling off the centerline, and keeping opponents guessing. He throws crisp, well-timed combinations and uses feints effectively to create openings. His stamina and conditioning allow him to maintain pace and volume for all 12 rounds, and his ability to close distance with speed before retreating makes him hard to counter. His recent finish of Seigo Yuri Akui showed improved timing and finishing ability even in the later rounds, proving he can turn up the heat if needed.

Though he’s precise and tough, Teraji is not known for one-punch knockout power. Against heavy punchers or relentless pressure fighters, he’s occasionally been backed into exchanges where his lack of physicality can be exposed. His lone loss to Masamichi Yabuki came when he was overwhelmed by pressure and failed to establish defensive space, although he avenged it in dominant fashion. Teraji also tends to drop his hands after throwing, which could open windows for a fast puncher like Sandoval to counter in close.

Sandoval is an aggressive, explosive puncher with excellent body work and finishing instincts. He applies pressure intelligently, using a mix of upper-body movement and heavy combinations to walk opponents down. With 18 knockouts in 26 wins, “El Niño” has real power for the flyweight division, particularly with his overhand right and short hooks. He’s also shown resilience and improved tactical patience since his 2022 loss to David Jimenez, adjusting his approach during fights and not overcommitting early.

Sandoval can be too eager to exchange and occasionally falls into predictable rhythms, especially against boxers who use lateral movement and angles. He’s most vulnerable when forced to reset or when chasing opponents who won’t trade in the pocket. While his pressure is effective, he doesn’t always cut off the ring efficiently, and against someone as elusive as Teraji, that could lead to him falling behind on the scorecards. His head movement is inconsistent, which could leave him open to Teraji’s straight right and counter jabs.

Sandoval brings legitimate danger and will look to make the fight ugly by forcing Teraji into exchanges. But unless he can trap and hurt the champion early, Teraji’s lateral movement, volume, and ring IQ are projected to control the tempo and pace. The Japanese star is expected to pull away in the later rounds, using combinations and angles to frustrate Sandoval en route to a unanimous decision, retaining his WBA and WBC belts in a tough but convincing performance.

Pick: Kenshiro Teraji 1.17 | Dafabet