One of the sport’s top action fighters will enjoy an expanded base for his next title defense.
DAZN has picked up the U.S. and U.K. streaming rights for the July 30 title fight tripleheader from Yokohama Buntai in Yokohama, Japan. Topping the bill, two-division champ Kenshiro Teraji risks his WBC and WBA flyweight titles against California’s Ricardo Sandoval.
The co-feature pits recently elevated WBA bantamweight titlist Antonio Vargas against former flyweight titleholder Daigo Higa. Kicking off the title fight portion of the card, WBA 108lbs beltholder Erick Rosa travels abroad to defend against Kyosuke Takami.
All three bouts will air live on DAZN, beginning at 5:45 a.m. ET, 10:45 a.m. BST and 6:45 p.m. local time. The show will primarily air on U-Next streaming service in Japan.
Teraji, 25-1 (16 KOs), unified the WBC and WBA 112lbs titles in a thrilling 12th round technical knockout of countryman Seigo Yuri Akui on March 13 in Tokyo. The fight remains BoxingScene’s clubhouse leader for the ongoing 2025 Fight of the Year race.
The win saw the 33-year-old ‘Amazing Boy’ become a two-division unified titlist. Teraji was the lineal, WBC and WBA champ at 108lbs before he abdicated his throne last summer to compete at flyweight. He claimed the WBC title in a knockout win over Cristofer Rosales last October.
Several of his previous title fights – dating back to 2019 – have aired live on ESPN+ through a partnership with Top Rank. However, the U.S. promoter – who is not involved in the July 30 show – will air its last-ever ESPN-branded card this weekend in New York City.
Concerns over whether this card would be picked up outside of Japan were alleviated thanks to another global promoter who is involved in the card.
Matchroom Boxing recently signed Vargas, 19-1 (11 KOs), to a co-promotional deal along with Boxlab Promotions. Its affiliation allowed for DAZN to step in and pick up international streaming rights.
Vargas will attempt the first defense of his WBA title.
The 2016 U.S. Olympian from Kissimmee, Florida won a secondary version of the belt in a tenth-round stoppage of unbeaten Winston Guerrero last December 13 in Orlando, Florida. He was upgraded to full titlist when Seiya Tsutsumi was unable to honor a mandatory title defense against the American boxer due to injury.
Sandoval, 26-2 (18 KOs), Vargas and Dominican Republic’s Rosa, 8-0 (2 KOs) all fight in Japan for the first time in their respective careers.
Rosa also attempts the first defense of his WBA 108lbs title. Fittingly, Tokyo’s Takami, 9-0 (7 KOs), debuts on the major title stage in what also represents his first scheduled 12-round affair.
Vargas’ dangerous assignment comes against Higa, a former WBC flyweight titleholder who came up just short in consecutive bantamweight title bids in Tokyo. He fought to a heartbreaking split decision defeat against countryman and WBO titlist Yoshiki Takei last September 3, then held Tsutsumi to a 12-round draw in their brutal February 24 affair.
Sandoval gets his first career – and long overdue title shot.
The California native hit the road in his best career win to date, a ninth-round knockout of former title challenger Jay Harris in their June 2021 IBF title eliminator in Bolton, England. A title shot never materialized, however. Worse, he lost his place in line after coming up short in a disputed defeat to David Jimenez in a July 2022 WBA title elimination contest.
Six wins have followed for the 26-year-old contender.
Several of Teraji’s previous title fights – dating back to 2019 – have aired live on ESPN+ through a partnership with Top Rank. However, the U.S. promoter – who is not involved in the July 30 show – will air its last-ever ESPN-branded card this weekend in New York City.
Concerns over whether this card would be picked up outside of Japan were alleviated thanks to Matchroom’s involvement on the card. DAZN also joined ESPN+ in carrying Teraji’s November 2022 junior flyweight unification clash with then Matchroom-promoted Hiroto Kyoguchi.
