WBC light flyweight champion Kenshiro Teraji knocked out Japanese compatriot Hiroto Kyoguchi, the WBA super champion of the weight class, in the seventh round of their world boxing title unification match Tuesday.
Teraji first floored his long-time rival with a straight right about 30 seconds into the fifth round at Saitama Super Arena. Kyoguchi regained his feet and got back into the match, but the referee stopped the fight two rounds later when Teraji landed another hard right.
Teraji found his rhythm with a 1-2 combination late in the second and kept up the pressure in the first all-Japanese title unification bout in 10 years.
"I'm so happy," said the 30-year-old Teraji, who admitted feeling nervous after Kyoguchi mounted his fightback. "I got a little anxious, but in the end, I just followed what my trainer has said — use my footwork and throw 1-2 punches."
Teraji took his win-loss record to 20-1 with 12 knockouts. The 28-year-old Kyoguchi suffered his first loss in 17 career bouts.
Earlier in the day, Puerto Rico's Jonathan Gonzalez successfully defended his WBO light flyweight title by winning a unanimous decision over Japan's Shokichi Iwata.
Gonzalez handed Iwata his first defeat in 10 bouts while improving to 27-3 with 14 KOs and one draw.