Kenshiro Teraji became a two-weight world champion with a one-sided 11th-round TKO triumph over Cristofer Rosales to claim the vacant WBC flyweight crown.
Teraji (24-1, 15 KOs) had been a dominant force at 108 lbs for the past seven years but looked diminished as he struggled to a majority-decision win over Carlos Canizales last time out.
The move north appeared to do the 32-year-old the world of good as he dominated former champion Rosales at the Ariake Arena, his in-out footwork on point as he fired rapid combinations to head and body and racked up a handsome lead on the scorecards.
WATCH: Kenshiro Teraji vs. Cristofer Rosales, exclusively on ESPN+
Rosales (37-7, 22 KOs), who had pound-for-pound superstar Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez at ringside roaring support, was sporting a horribly bloodied nose, which the ringside doctor presumed to be broken when he called a halt at the start of round 11. The official time was 0:06.
Despite Rosales' considerable height and reach advantage, Teraji's jab was the defining feature of the opening three minutes. The home fighter circled smoothly to his left, scoring frequently through his static foe's high guard before crunching a right to the mid-section.
Rosales mixed up his left lead with some roundhouse shots in round two, very much a hallmark of the Eddy Reynoso gym, although Teraji's shorter straight shots continued to find a home. A clean right hook to Rosales' jaw lit a fire under the visitor and both had success trading in centre ring during the final 30 seconds.
Teraji's timing and rhythm kept him a beat ahead in round three, switching the jab from body to head before bringing the backhand to bear downstairs. It proved to be a classic setup as Rosales, distracted by the bodywork, was wobbled by a shuddering right hook. 'The Amazing Boy' calmly and remorselessly stalked his prey until the bell.
Bleeding from the nose, Rosales sought sanctuary on the ropes at the start of four. His decision to switch to southpaw appeared even more foolhardy as he ate right hands before a booming left down the pipe spun Teraji around and had Canelo on his feet.
It led to a more circumspect fifth, another Teraji round as Rosales kept that rapier left cocked close to his chin. The Nicaraguan switched back to orthodox in the next session, but that merely allowed Teraji to score more freely to the body once more and an overhand right added to Rosales' gruelling evening diet.
Teraji feinted beautifully to power home a pair of right-hand leads in a competitive round seven. Rosales' face tattooed with red marks and welts told a grim tale as the home favourite continued to zone in on his battered nose.
The WBC's open scoring revealed Rosales shipping a heavy deficit on the cards but he'd been in plenty of the rounds. That could not be said for nine and 10 as Teraji landed his right hand at will and the away fighter visibly sagged.
Referee Lawrence Cole asked the ringside doctor to have a look at Rosales when Reynoso sent his man out of the 11th and he made a decision that the esteemed trainer should very probably have arrived by his own volition.
WATCH: Kenshiro Teraji vs. Cristofer Rosales, exclusively on ESPN+
Kenshiro Teraji vs. Cristofer Rosales fight card
- Takuma Inoue (c) vs. Seiya Tsutsumi for the WBA bantamweight title
- Kenshiro Teraji def. Cristofer Rosales (TKO 10/12) to win the vacant WBC flyweight title
- Seigo Yuri Akui (c) def. Thananchai Charunphak (SD 12) to retain the WBA flyweight title
- Shokichi Iwata def. Jairo Noriega (TKO 3/12) to win the vacant WBO light flyweight title
Where to watch Kenshiro Teraji vs. Cristofer Rosales
- Channel/live stream: ESPN+
Fight fans can watch Takuma Inoue vs. Seiya Tsutsumi on ESPN+. You can subscribe to ESPN+ for $10.99 on a monthly subscription and $109.99 on an annual subscription.
WATCH: Kenshiro Teraji vs. Cristofer Rosales, exclusively on ESPN+
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