WBC Special Preview: Teraji vs. Budler

Light Flyweight Stats

Jose Sulaimán – WBC Lifetime President

Mauricio Sulaimán – WBC President

Ariake Arena Tokyo, Japan

September 18^th, 2023

TV: ESPN+ / Amazon Prime Japan

This will be the WBC´s 2, 178 championship fight in its sixty years of history.

Teiken Promotions & Top Rank present:

KENSHIRO TERAJI                       

(JAPAN)

WBC CHAMPION

Nationality:       Japan

Date of Birth:    January 6, 1992

Birthplace:        Joyo, Kyoto, Japan

Residence:         Uji, Kyoto, Japan

Age:                 31

Record:             21-1-0, 13 KO’s

KO %:              61.9 %

Alias:                The Amazing Boy

Guard:             Orthodox

Total rounds:    153

World Titles fights: 13 (12-1-0)

Manager:          Masato Yamashita

Promoter:         Shinsei Promotions

HEKKIE BUDLER

(SOUTH AFRICA)

WBC No. 1 / OFFICIAL CHALLENGER

Nationality:       South Africa

Date of Birth:    May 18, 1988

Birthplace:        Johannesburg, S. Africa

Residence:         Johannesburg, S. Africa

Age:                 35

Record:             35-4-0, 11 KO’s

KO %:              31.43 %

Alias:                The Hexecutioner

Guard:             Orthodox

Total rounds:    322

World Titles fights: 6 (5-1-0)

Manager:          Rodney Berman

Promoter:         Golden Gloves Promotions

WBC Lt. Flyweight Champions

NAME                   PERIOD AS CHAMPIONS

1. FRANCO UDELLA (ITALY) 1975
2. LUIS ESTABA (VEN) 1975 – 1978
3. FREDDIE CASTILLO (MEX) 1978
4. NETRNOI SOR VORASINGH (THA) 1978
5. SUNG JUN KIM (KOR) 1978 – 1980
6. SHIGEO NAKAJIMA (JAP) 1980
7. HILARIO ZAPATA (PAN) 1980 – 1982
8. AMADO URZUA (MEX) 1982
9. TADASHI TOMORI (JAP) 1982
10. HILARIO ZAPATA (PAN) * 1982 – 1983
11. JUNGKOO CHANG (KOR) 1983 – 1988
12. GERMAN TORRES (MEX) 1988 – 1989
13. YULWOO LEE (KOR) 1989
14. HUMBERTO GONZALEZ (MEX) 1989 – 1990
15. ROLANDO PASCUA (PHIL) 1990 – 1991
16. MELCHOR COB CASTRO (MEX) 1991
17. HUMBERTO GONZALEZ (MEX) * 1991 – 1993
18. MICHAEL CARBAJAL (US) 1993 – 1994
19. HUMBERTO GONZALEZ (MEX) * 1994 – 1995
20. SAMAN SORJATURONG (THA) 1995 – 1999
21. YOSAM CHOI (KOR) 1999 – 2002
22. JORGE ARCE (MEX) 2001 – 2004
23. ERIC ORTIZ (MEX) 2005
24. BRIAN VILORIA (US) 2005 – 2006
25. OMAR NIÑO (MEXICO) 2006
26. WANDEE SINGWANGCHA (THAILAND) INTERIM 2006
27. EDGAR SOSA (MEXICO) 2007 – 2009
28. RODEL MAYOL (PHILIPPINES) 2009 – 2010
29. OMAR NIÑO (MEXICO) * 2010
30. GILBERTO KEB BAAS (MEXICO) 2010 – 2011
31. ADRIAN HERNANDEZ (MEXICO) 2011
32. KOMPAYAK PORPRAMOOK (THAILAND) 2011 – 2012
33. ADRIAN HERNANDEZ (MEXICO) * 2012 – 2014
34. NAOYA INOUE (JAPAN) 2014
35. PEDRO GUEVARA (MEXICO) 2014 – 2015
36. YU KIMURA (JAPAN) 2015 – 2016
37. GANIGAN LOPEZ (MEXICO) 2016 – 2017
38. KENSHIRO TERAJI (JAPAN) 2017 – 2021
39. MASAMICHI YABUKI (JAPAN) 2021 –  2022
40. KENSHIRO TERAJI (JAPAN) * 2022 –

*REGAINED

Top Ten

1. HUMBERTO GONZALEZ (MEXICO
2. HILARIO ZAPATA (PANAMA)
3. MICHAEL CARBAJAL (US)
4. LUIS ESTABA (VENEZUELA)
5. JUNGKOO CHANG (KOREA)
6. SAMAN SORJATURONG (THAILAND)
7. JORGE ARCE (MEXICO)
8. EDGAR SOSA (MEXICO)
9. YOSAM CHOI (KOREA)
10. TADASHI TOMORI (JAPAN)

General Info

34 world champions have conquered the WBC world title at the lightflyweight division.

5 of them have been champions in different periods

Hilario Zapata (Panama) 2x

Humberto González (México) 3x

Omar Niño (México) 2x

Adrian Hernandez (Mexico) 2x

Kenshiro Teraji (Japan) 2x 

The WBC has held 152 lt. flyweight title bouts in 8 countries

29 of them have taken place in Japan

Lt. Flyweight Bouts By Country

MEXICO                             36

KOREA                               30

JAPAN                                   29

US                                       24

VENEZUELA                     15

THAILAND                        14

PANAMA                            3

ITALY                                1

TOTAL                    152

WBC Title Fights in Japan

303 bouts have been held in Japan

This will be the 30^th Title fight in the lt. flyweight division.

Breakdown by Division

BANTAM                             61

FLY                                      50

SUPERFLY                         37

Lt. FLY 29

STRAW                                29

SUPERFEATHER              28

SUPERBANTAM                21

FEATHER                           15

SUPERWELTER                11

SUPERLIGHT                    10

LIGHT                                 9

HEAVY                                3

TOTAL BOUTS              303

What the “Hekk!”

By James Blears

Awesome WBC and WBA light flyweight champion Kenshiro “Amazing Boy” Teraji of Japan, defends his belts against Hekkie “Hexecutioner” Budler from South Africa on Monday September 18^th at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo.

Hekkie compliments and lauds Kenshiro as the finest fighter in the division. Praise where praise is due. Kenshiro 21-1, 13 KO’s won the title off Ganigan Lopez in May 2018 and swept through eight successful defenses until , still suffering from the lingering effects of Covid 19, he was TKO’d by compatriot Mashamichi Yabuki in September 2021. He put things right with a two fisted KO of Yabuki in round three, during a direct rematch the following March.

He then in November stopped Hiroto Kyoguchi to add/bolt on the WBA belt with a seventh round TKO and successfully defended with a ninth round TKO of late replacement Anthony Olascuaga in April. He was supposed to be taking on WBO champion Jonathan “Bomba” Gonzalez, who was ill and had to withdraw.

Hekkie 35-4, 11 KO’s has won world titles in two divisions and as such has the full, undivided attention plus respect of Kenshiro. Hekkie’s debut as a pro was way back in 2007, while Kenshiro is more of a newcomer. His first paid fight was six years later.

Hekkie became WBA straw weight champion with a one punch KO of Karluis Diaz during round one, in March 2014. Four successful defenses followed, until he lost the title to Byron Rojas two years later by UD. Two years on he defeated Ryoichi Taguchi to win the WBA and IBF light flyweight titles. He vacated the IBF belt and in his first defense of the WBA belt, he was TKO’d in ten rounds by Hiroto Kyoguchi. Since then Hekkie has won three in a row including a victory over former WBO champion Elwin Soto. He’s earned his spot as WBC number one contender.

Hekkie is under no illusions that he’s up against it and he says it greatly motivates him. He says he enjoys being the underdog and he wants to prove people wrong. On Sunday, he arrived at Narita International Airport, after eighteen hours of flights, but Japan isn’t new to him. He enthused: “This is a great opportunity and I have faith. I leave it to God, but I’m also ready!

“I feel that with my style I can defeat him and I like being on the big stage. To be WBC champion would be absolutely amazing.”

Kenshiro who’s always looked youthful and willowy stands five feet five inches tall. With a reach of sixty four inches. While seasoned Hekkie is two inches shorter but he has a reach of sixty five and a half inches. Hekkie’s nickname is Hexecutioner but he usually doesn’t possess the chilling power of the champ. Yet he’s wily, hard to pin and has plenty of experience at top level. Realistically it could be his last chance for World honors, so it presents itself in terms of now or never.

Aged thirty one, Kenshiro is four years younger than him and he is formidable. Smiling and affable outside the ring, he’s a ruthless operator inside the ropes. He moves in with speed, precision and jarring accuracy but then he’s out and gone. Hekkie via and viz strategy, must try to nullify this onslaught and incoming firepower, countering and springing initiatives to be able to win. For this, he needs all the guile, vim plus the residual pride of a two time champion. Realistic and practical, he himself says it’s going to be the hardest fight of his career.

Kenshiro is disappointed he wasn’t able to add the WBO title to his WBC and WBA belts. His ambition is all four, but here and now Hekkie constitutes a challenge which carries risk as well as reward.

Hekkie has travelled far for this in the Autumn of his career. It’s unlikely the championship bout will go all the way. Someone is likely to fall.

Both would do well to consider the opinion of Miyamoto Musashi 1584-1645. Japanese swordsman, philosopher writer and Ronin. He said: “Think lightly of yourself and deeply of the World.”