Naoya Inoue vs. David Alan Picasso | RING V - 27 December 2025

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'THE RING V: NIGHT OF THE SAMURAI' - INOUE VS. PICASSO TICKETS NOW ON SALE

Tickets for "Ring V: Night of the Samurai" on December 27 are now on sale and can be purchased by visiting webook.com.

The event will take place at the Mohammed Abdo Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia's Boulevard City. Naoya Inoue's undisputed junior featherweight title defence against Alan Picasso will headline.

Tickets range from as low as $14 to $27 for general admission seating. 'Platinum' seats will cost upwards of $80 while 'diamond' seats are priced at $108.

The event will be steamed globally on DAZN and exclusively on Lemino in Japan.

Elsewhere on the card Junto Nakatani takes on Sebastian Hernandez in his first fight at 122 pounds, while Kenshiro Teraji and Willibaldo Garcia battle it out for the latter's IBF junior bantamweight title.

Taiga Imanaga vs. Armando Martinez, Hayato Tsutsumi vs. James Dickens and Reito Tsutsumi vs. Leobardo Quintana make up the rest of the bill.

Inoue is The Ring's No. 3 pound-for-pound fighter while Nakatani sits at No. 7 on the list.

A press conference to promote the event recently took place in Tokyo, Japan and can be viewed in its entirety below:

[Rockytony67]

I assumed they would put this on PPV, but it seems madness to me

"INOUE VS PICASSO ON PPV

The Naoya Inoue vs David Picasso card on December 27th will stream live on DAZN PPV at a price of £19.99 in the UK and $39.99 in the USA. The fight will also be part of the DAZN Ultimate Subscription

The event is scheduled to start at 8 am GMT."

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Lamont Roach's Title Reign Ending, Jazza Dickens To Be WBA 130-Pound Champion

James “Jazza" Dickens will be crowned Britain's fourth reigning male world champion this weekend.

On Saturday night, Lamont Roach will make his junior welterweight debut when challenging Mexico’s WBC interim champion, Isaac Cruz (28-3-1, 18 KOs), at the Frost Bank Centre in San Antonio, Texas.

The move to 140-pounds marks the start of an exciting new chapter for the Maryland native but also closes a successful episode of his career.

When the first bell sounds, Roach (25-1-2, 10 KOs) will lose the WBA junior lightweight title he won by beating Hector Garcia in November 2023.

Interim titleholder Dickens (36-5, 15 KOs) will instantly be upgraded to full champion.

He will join WBO heavyweight champion Fabio Wardley, IBF welterweight beltholder Lewis Crocker and WBA featherweight titlist Nick Ball, as a current world titleholder.

The 34-year-old Liverpudlian will make the first defence of his title against Japan’s Hayato Tsutsumi (8-0, 5 KOs) on Ring V: Night of the Samurai, taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on December 27 and broadcast exclusively on DAZN.

In July, Dickens won the interim title by bullying Russia's previously-undefeated Albert Batyrgaziev to stun him inside four one-sided rounds.

Dickens’ story is one of perseverance.

Back in 2016, Dickens made an ambitious leap up from British level and climbed into the ring with the world’s best junior featherweight; the outstanding Cuban, Guillermo Rigondeaux.

His hopes of springing a major surprise came to a brutal end when forced to retire after suffering a broken jaw in the second round.

He had to wait five years for another shot. When it came, Dickens never got a foothold in his fight with IBF featherweight titleholder Kid Galahad, and was stopped in the 11th round.

The defeat proved a costly one for Dickens, forced to rebuild out of the spotlight and many assumed his hoes of competing at the very highest level were over.

He claimed a minor world featherweight title but in July 2023, lost it to Mexico’s Hector Sosa after a brutal battle with the scales.

Stepping up to junior featherweight and joining up with Albert Ayrapetyan at The Golden Ring Boxing Gym in Dubai has breathed new life into Dickens’ career.

In February, he scored an upset victory over Manchester’s Zelfa Barrett and then looked better then ever to outbox and stop Batyrgaziev.

Now, he will end 2025 by defending a recognised world title on a major show.

[keithmoonhangover]

If Inoue chose to fight Picasso, Nakatani then Ball. Would there be anyone left for Inoue after that if that's his choice of next fights? There's a few others that are unbeaten or on long streaks but with no notable wins but they wouldn't be big fights or pose a reasonable threat. Is there anyone else within reason he could take on instead?

I would add Jessie bam Rodriguez. (In a year or so which it would be at least given inoue has 2 or three fights inbetween lined up…

I have a feeling Nakatani will be his last fight at 122, so Bam may have to climb even further for that fight. As much as I like Nick Ball, I think the Monster will slay him.

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Naoya Inoue will become the first man in 42 years to defend The Ring title four times in a calendar year if he beats Alan Picasso

The last man to do so was heavyweight champion Larry Holmes who made four defences in 1983

[joshj909]

Naoya Inoue will become the first man in 42 years to defend The Ring title four times in a calendar year if he beats Alan Picasso

The last man to do so was heavyweight champion Larry Holmes who made four defences in 1983

Ye Joon Kim (21-2-2) #27 after the fight
Ramon Cardenas (26-1-0) #13 after the fight
Murodjon Akhmadaliev (14-1) #7 after the fight
David Picasso (32-0-1) #2 before the fight

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[Rockytony67]

News that Tsutsumi suffered a cut in sparring, fight with Jazza Dickenson off

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News that Tsutsumi suffered a cut in sparring, fight with Jazza Dickenson off

Yh it’s off

Damn

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Hayato Tsutsumi injured in sparring; Jazza Dickens title fight drops from Riyadh show

James “Jazza” Dickens will have to wait a few more weeks to consummate his newfound title reign.

BS has learned that Hayato Tsutsumi is no longer to able to procced with his planned challenge for Dickens’ WBA 130lbs title. An injury sustained during a sparring session left Tsutsumi unable to continue training, much less fight on December 27.

The development has now left Liverpool’s Dickens, 36-5 (15 KOs), without an opponent as his fight has dropped from the Naoya Inoue-topped Ring card in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The rest of the show will move forward in present form, including Reito Tsutsumi, 3-0 (2 KOs) – Hayato’s younger brother who will appear in a non-title fight.

News of the cut was in a shared scoop with veteran boxing reporter Carlos Linares, a longtime friend and ally of the BS family.

Dickens was upgraded to full WBA junior lightweight titlist on December 6, literally the moment the bell sounded for Lamont Roach Jnr’s clash with WBC interim 140lbs titlist Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz. Roach previously held the WBA 130lbs title since November 2023 but only made one defense – last June – and has fought two straight times above the divisional limit.

It ultimately worked in favor of Dickens, who claimed the WBA interim title in a stunning, 4th round upset knockout win over unbeaten Albert Batyrgaziev on July 2 in Istanbul, Turkey.

He was still a recognized secondary titleholder at the time his scheduled bout with Tsutsumi was confirmed for the Riyadh card. The stakes were raised with the title upgrade, though now a moot point as he awaits further instructions on his next bout.

Tsutsumi, 8-0 (5 KOs), was due to enter his first career title fight. He has already earned two knockout wins on the year and has stopped each of his last five opponents. Among that impressive run are wins over former secondary WBA titlist Rene Alvarado and Jaime Arboleda in back-to-back outings.

A 3rd round stoppage of Qais Ashfaq in August marked Tsutsumi’s Riyadh Season debut, joining Reito who has fought exclusively on Turki Alalshikh-funded cards since his pro debut in May. The elder Tsutsumi looked forward to his second straight fight in Saudi Arabia, though that will have to wait until he is fully healed and officially cleared for combat.

Despite no fight to show for his recent good fortunes, Dickens remains in the midst of a career revival. The 34-year-old southpaw has won four consecutive starts, including upset victories over Batyrgaziev and former title challenger Zelfa Barrett.

The WBA status lift afforded earlier this month saw Dickens claim his first major title nearly 15 years into his pro career.

The closest he previously came was in his August 2021 vacant IBF featherweight title clash with Kid Galahad, who prevailed via 11th round stoppage. The setback snapped an eight-fight win streak that saw Dickens defeat Leigh Wood (pre-WBA featherweight title run) and Ryan Walsh along the way.

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Fight Week!!

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So looks like they are catering for Japan here.

Broadcast Start Time: 12pm KSA / 9am GMT / 4am ET / 2am PT / 6pm JST

Main event ring walks (approx)
3.57pm KSA / 12.57pm GMT / 7.57am ET / 4:57am PT / 9:57pm JST

and its a Saturday, not a mid week..

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A 1-on-1 with undisputed champion Naoya Inoue ahead of Ring V: Part I

This interview with Naoya Inoue was conducted on November 25 at the Ohashi Gym in Yokohama. Earlier that morning, his younger brother Takuma had his post-fight press conference following his victory in the WBC bantamweight title bout the previous day (In Japan, it is customary for the winner to appear not only immediately after the fight but also at a press conference the following day.). Coming right on the heels of Takuma’s victory over the highly regarded Tenshin Nasukawa, the eldest brother was also in an exceptionally good mood.

What is the significance of your December 27 bout in Saudi Arabia against Alan Picasso?

“I hold all four belts, so in advancing my career, this is a mandatory opponent I have to face. Junto Nakatani has now moved up to No. 1, but at the time of the designation, Picasso was ranked No. 1, so this fight is treated as a mandatory defense. Also, the fact that I’m fighting on the same card as Nakatani ahead of a potential fight in May adds meaning. All of that becomes motivation.”

Compared to Murodjon Akhmadaliev, who had all-around strength, and Ramon Cardenas, who had a dangerous left hook, Picasso isn’t rated as highly. Since you tend to perform best against strong opponents, is it harder to get up emotionally for this one?

“Fighting in Saudi Arabia for the first time is motivating for me. I’ll enter the fight with a fresh mindset. It’s a little different from fighting in Japan, and there are unknowns, but I’m also excited. The atmosphere will be different from American events, and I imagine the pre-fight procedures will be different, too.”

Nutrition before a fight is very important. Will you bring all your ingredients with you?

“I’ll bring what I can. I hear there are some Japanese supermarkets in Saudi Arabia and that you can get a lot of things. My nutritionist is connected with Japan’s national soccer team and has been to Saudi several times, so I’ve been able to get information about supermarkets and food options. I think we’ll manage.”

It sounds like you hold Akhmadaliev in high regard, but having fought him was he as strong as expected?

“I didn’t feel much in terms of his strength or skill. What I felt was his toughness — his ability to take shots. Throughout 12 rounds, I don’t think there was any technical area where I was inferior. I really did what I wanted to do. The only thing I regret is not being able to finish him. His toughness was incredible.”

If he wasn’t that tough, would you have gone for the finish?

“Yes. In Round 6, my body shots definitely hurt him. I thought, ‘How is he not going down?’ I was like, 'Seriously?’”

Another fighter would have gone down?

“Absolutely. If I took those same punches, I’m confident I’d go down (laughs). That’s how cleanly they landed — three of them. Those were the kind of body shots that carve into the opponent. And I landed three clean ones.

"I’m sure they hurt him, but he never froze or stopped moving. He kept his feet under him. That’s why I didn’t go in for the finish. That level of toughness, I’ve never experienced it before.”

In terms of hitting without being hit, creating excitement then finishing, was the Stephen Fulton fight in 2023 closest to your ideal?

“Yes, for Fulton, that was the ideal. It would be great if I could fight like that against everyone. I think that fight went well because the tension was extremely high.”

It’s often said that you perform even better against elite opponents. Does your boxing sharpen when the tension is high?

“Exactly. That’s why I feel that my biggest opponent now is my own career. Looking back at those two knockdowns [vs. Nery and Cardenas] I think in some ways my career itself worked against me. Early in my career, I don’t think I would have rushed my punches like that, or thrown careless shots in the middle of trying to finish someone. In that sense, I now feel that when I was 22 or 23, there were aspects of my boxing that were actually superior.”

Physically, have you felt any aging — fatigue, recovery issues?

“No. My stamina hasn’t declined at all. As you saw in the Akhmadaliev fight, I can move for 12 rounds with no issues. My reactions to punches haven’t faded, either. So the challenge is maintaining that sense of tension. At the same time, emotionally I’m more stable now. Not just in boxing, but through life experiences. I feel things are coming together in a positive way.”

You’ve said you can think more in the ring now. Does that mean you’re improving?

“Yes. Even in training, when I was younger I just worked blindly or relied on physical strength. Now I can give meaning to each session. I can decide, ‘Today I’ll work on this.’ In that sense, aging has brought more fulfillment.”


Coming Tuesday: Part II

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Eddie Hearn: ‘We are promoting more and more shows with Riyadh Season’

From the outside looking in, Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing now appears to be the go-to promotional outfit for Saudi boxing financier Turki Alalshikh.

Previously, it seemed that allegedly’s Queensberry Promotions was the primary promoter for Riyadh Season events, with Warren leading shows in Saudi Arabia. However, that looks to be changing. Hearn will be staging his first show in Saudi this Saturday, an event labeled “The Night of The Samurai”, featuring some of Japan’s finest boxing talent, including Naoya Inoue and Junto Nakatani. Notably, there are no fighters signed with Matchroom appearing on the card.

Hearn was asked about his current relationship with Saudi Arabia and Alalshikh.

“That'll be the first show in Saudi we've actually promoted as the lead promoter,” Hearn told BS. “We were the lead promoter for Conor Benn-Chris Eubank Jnr II recently, and the one before. We were the lead promoter in Times Square for The Ring card. So yeah, we do a great job for them. I think that one thing is that [Turki Alalshikh] has always supported all the promotional companies. Like, if you look at these sponsorship deals that he does, you'll see Riyadh Season up everywhere with our shows, Queensberry shows, Boxxer shows, Top Rank, Golden Boy.

“He sponsors all of the companies and he supports everybody. It's a pretty cool thing to do. Obviously, over time, I think he'll also get people he likes to work with and he'll only give people certain responsibilities that he feels are good enough to do it. So we are promoting more and more shows now with Ring Magazine and Riyadh Season, and it's an honour to do so.”

When Hearn first took over Matchroom Boxing from his father Barry, he shared a broadcaster with several other promotional outfits. After signing an exclusive broadcast deal with Sky Sports, the company flourished. Now, with multiple promoters involved in Saudi events, would Hearn look to become Alalshikh’s exclusive provider?

“I don't think we need to and I don't think they would necessarily be in a position to do that for that reason [supporting the other promotional outfits],” Hearn said. “You do a deal with them and you think, ‘Wow,’ and then you read someone else has done a deal with [Alalshikh]. And that's just the way that he operates and he works, and that's supporting the ecosystem of boxing, which is important.

“So yeah, unless we were made an offer from Saudi Arabia to be the service provider or promoter for those events… I’ve said it before, it's like Terence Crawford against Canelo [Alvarez]. Dana White was the service provider for that event. They don't like to say that, but I don't give a shit. I just do the job and take the money and do an amazing job at the same time. So for ‘The Night of The Samurai’, we are the service provider. We are the promoter who will be servicing the event, running the logistics, and making sure everything is run bang on and that's a privilege to get that opportunity.”

Matchroom Boxing CEO Frank Smith also shared his thoughts on the promotional outfit’s growing relationship with Riyadh Season.

“I think we've got a good relationship with them,” Smith told BS. “I think with the team on the ground we work very well. We've delivered a number of shows now with them over the years, especially because we did a number in the US with them of course. So yeah, things are good, things are in a great place with them. They're great to deal with, and as I say, to be part of that journey of delivering the biggest nights in the sport, that's really the focus.”

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A 1-on-1 with undisputed champion Naoya Inoue ahead of Ring V: Part II

This interview with Naoya Inoue was conducted on November 25 at the Ohashi Gym in Yokohama. Earlier that morning, his younger brother Takuma had his post-fight press conference following his victory in the WBC bantamweight title bout the previous day (In Japan, it is customary for the winner to appear not only immediately after the fight but also at a press conference the following day.). Coming right on the heels of Takuma’s victory over the highly regarded Tenshin Nasukawa, the eldest brother was also in an exceptionally good mood. Part I of Inoue's interview that ran earlier can be found here heading into his Dec. 27 matchup with Alan Picasso on DAZN.

After watching some footage of Picasso, what do you consider his strengths?

"From the highlight I’ve seen, Picasso looks like a hardworking fighter. I don’t feel he has one standout weapon, but like a typical Mexican fighter, he battles with great effort. What I’m most cautious about is what I experienced with Ramon Cardenas in May, fighters facing me often perform above their usual level. I have to be wary of that.”

At the press conference you said you would fight a "Picasso-specific style." Does that mean a more aggressive fight compared to the Akhmadaliev bout?

“I did say that, but preparing specific strategies for each opponent — studying how to fight that particular boxer — is something I do for every fight. I think I’ll be more aggressive, yes, but since Picasso is tall, there will be things I need to read carefully. I want to react and adapt well in every moment.”

Immediately after the Akhmadaliev fight you yelled toward ringside, "Who says I’ve declined?" Who was that directed at — media? The fans?

“Both the media and fans who thought that. I was knocked down against Luis Nery and against Cardenas, but I understood exactly why those knockdowns happened. Some people said two knockdowns in a year meant my reflexes were slowing or that I was declining, but it wasn’t due to age or dulled reactions. I think my performance showed clearly that this wasn’t the case.”

You said the Akhmadaliev fight was about “patience.” You’ve always been able to box like that, but when was the last time you decided to fight that way? Was it the first time?

“Let me clarify: When fighting true champion-level opponents, I don’t go in thinking I will force a knockout. If an opportunity comes naturally, I take it. Of course, there are fights where you must knock your opponent out or shouldn’t let it go to the scorecards. But in fights like Fulton, Marlon Tapales, Nery, and Akhmadaliev, since moving up to super bantamweight,I never went in planning to force a stoppage. What was unique about the Akhmadaliev fight was that even when I saw moments where I could have gone for the finish, I held myself back. That was the first time in my career.”

You’ve always cared about entertaining fans. Was there conflict in holding back instead of going for the KO?

“Of course there was. But I also understand that this is my weakness now. Opposing teams strategizing for me know this, too. They think my desire to entertain makes me attack aggressively at times, and that those moments are openings. So I’ve started thinking that maybe I don’t need to prioritize entertaining the fans in every fight.”

Do you have an ideal style today? Does it change depending on the opponent?

“My ideal is the Akhmadaliev style with the finish — hit without getting hit — and then decisively close the show. To achieve that, I need to enter every fight with the same level of concentration and motivation as I did for Akhmadaliev. Whether I can do that again for Picasso, that’s the challenge. I intend to.”

Your fight with Junto Nakatani, scheduled for May, is becoming more concrete. How do you position that fight?

“Of course, I see it as a big fight. I rate his ability highly. A matchup that generates this much excitement in Japan doesn’t come around often.”

You’ve watched footage of him for years. Do you now view him as an opponent? Has your attitude toward him changed?

“I definitely view him as a future opponent. My behavior toward him hasn’t changed, but mentally, yes, there’s awareness on both sides.”

At the awards ceremony in March, you called out to him, saying, "Let’s light up the Tokyo Dome in a year." Was that an intentional promotional move to help build the fight?

“If we’re going to do it, we need to create momentum. Not just make the fight happen, but create a story leading up to it. Fighting on the same Saudi card and then facing each other next May, that’s a perfect storyline. If I hadn’t called him out then, maybe we wouldn’t be fighting together in Saudi now. Even if he moved up to super bantamweight, it might not have been this early.”

You’re fighting four times this year, an unusually high pace for a modern top-level boxer. How is your condition now?

“I’m always in fighting condition, so I feel comfortable. I can stay in battle mode all the time. It’s easy for me, but four fights a year puts a huge workload on Chairman [Ohashi of the Japan-Taiwan Exchange] and the staff so I worry more about them (laughs).”

Is it easier for you to stay in condition with this schedule?

“Yes, it’s easier. My lifestyle feels very smooth — comfortable, even. If I only fought twice a year, the pace would slow down. The off-period becomes longer and it’s difficult to stay mentally sharp for six months straight without a fight. For me, having four fights this year wasn’t bad. But that only happened because the Sam Goodman fight at the end of last year fell through, which pushed the Ye-Joon Kim fight into this year. So in reality, it’s six fights over two years. Ideally, I think three fights a year — spring, summer and winter — is the best rhythm.”

Some might think that fighting often means you’re always tense and under pressure. But that’s not necessarily the case?

“I can do it because I love boxing. I love training, and I love fighting. Even if I’m keyed up all year, preparing for those three fights is something I enjoy, so it never feels difficult.

“If I didn’t [love boxing], I would have quit long ago. I’ve already accomplished enough that I could stop whenever I want. If I didn’t love it, I’d have retired by now.”

Will next year also be three fights, around May, September, and December?

“I’ve heard it might be two fights next year. If that happens, it would probably be May and then either November or December.”

Physically, have you felt any aging — fatigue, recovery issues?

“No. My stamina hasn’t declined at all. As you saw in the Akhmadaliev fight, I can move for 12 rounds with no issues. My reactions to punches haven’t faded, either. So the challenge is maintaining that sense of tension. At the same time, emotionally I’m more stable now. Not just in boxing, but through life experiences. I feel things are coming together in a positive way.”

You’ve said you can think more in the ring now. Does that mean you’re improving?

“Yes. Even in training, when I was younger I just worked blindly or relied on physical strength. Now I can give meaning to each session. I can decide, ‘Today I’ll work on this.’ In that sense, aging has brought more fulfillment.”

Will you move up to featherweight next year? Or you might stay at super bantamweight a little longer?

I can still fight at super bantamweight without any issues. Making weight is not difficult for me at all. I don’t think there’s any need to move up unless there’s a real reason.”

What are your thoughts on Bam Rodriguez, the undefeated KO artist and Ring champion at 115 pounds?

“I think he’s strong, although I’ve never watched one of his fights in full. He’s the type of boxer I like, and stylistically I think the matchup would work very well and it would be a fun fight. If he moves up in weight, he could absolutely be one of the possible opponents. But right now he’s still fighting at super flyweight.”

When will you next come to the United States?

“If I’m only fighting twice next year, the May fight will be in Japan, and then it depends where the other fight ends up. As of now, nothing is decided beyond May, so there’s no discussion yet. If there’s an opportunity to fight in the U.S., I’d definitely like to do it again.”

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Alan Picasso: Life-Changing Destiny Awaits As Naoya Inoue Clash Draws Near

Alan Picasso knows exactly why practically everyone is counting him out.

He's just days away from boxing someone universally regarded as one of the world's best three fighters. Beating Naoya Inoue on December 27 at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, won't come easy, but everything about their clash feels like something written out of a movie.

Picasso's believes this is the part where he steps into the main role and becomes a star.

"There are books that have a chapter where everything starts to become chaotic," Picasso told DAZN recently. "Where the most interesting part of the story begins, I think I’m at that moment. It's going to completely change our lives."

Unsurprisingly, Inoue (31-0, 27 KOs) has spent his 2025 being active and dominant. The 32-year-old Ring and undisputed junior featherweight champion scored consecutive stoppage victories over Ye Joon Kim and Ramon Cardenas.

When stopping his opponent wasn't an option, such as against former champion Murodjon Akhmadaliev on September 14, the pound-for-pound star opted for Plan B, boxing and moving while cruising to a wide decision victory.

The Ring's No. 4 122-pounder isn't worried about what Inoue brings. In previous years, he, too, has been incredibly active. In 2024, he made five appearances, including a 12-round points win over Azat Hovhannisyan that August, and remained unbeaten.

This year, he earned a 10-round majority decision win over Kyonosuke Kameda as part of the Mario Barrios-Manny Pacquiao undercard on July 19.

Picasso (32-0-1, 17 KOs) has largely flown under the radar in his native Mexico but now been granted an opportunity of a lifetime and is refusing to waste it this weekend.

"We know what this fight represents," he said.

[veriton]

Is anyone planning on buying this? It's so niche I doubt many will pay extra, I certainly won't.

[steve689]

"Defending the Ring title", what does that sh!t even mean? The Ring is a magazine-turned PR front for the promoters. Worthless nonsense.

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Presser

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KENSHIRO TERAJI EXCITED TO SHOW RENEWED ENERGY IN THIRD WEIGHT CLASS

RIYADH, Saudia Arabia -- Somewhat lost in the perpetual buzz surrounding the mooted superfight between Naoya Inoue and Junto Nakatani and their pending bouts this weekend is another amazing Japanese fighter.

Former two-weight world champion Kenshiro Teraji, 'The Amazing Boy', hopes to claim a third divisional title at the expense of Mexico's IBF junior bantamweight titleholder Willibaldo Garcia when the pair throw down at the Mohammed Abdo Arena on Saturday.

Teraji (25-2, 16 KOs) is boxing royalty in his home country and a Hall of Fame lock. Over the past decade, the 33-year-old boxer-puncher has won 16 of 18 world title bouts, posting notable wins over the likes of Ganigan Lopez (twice), Masamichi Yabuki, Hiroto Kyoguchi, Hekkie Budler, Carlos Canizales, and Seigo Yuri Akui.

However, Teraji is coming off July's heartbreaking 12-round majority decision loss to Ricardo Sandoval, which saw him surrender his unified flyweight crown. That colossal upset defeat led many fans and experts to believe Teraji was struggling to make 112 pounds, a notion he was eager to dismiss.

"I could have done the weight cut to make flyweight but was given this chance to fight Garcia for the title, so that's why I moved up," Teraji told The Ring via a translator. "Making weight has obviously been easier for me. I've also been able to practice very hard and get myself prepared.

"I’ve enjoyed the last few days in Riyadh and I’m excited to be here."

Garcia, The Ring's No. 8-rated junior bantamweight contender, has had a tough climb to the top.

Turning professional in 2017, he lost four of his first six fights and was essentially learning on the job. He dropped close decisions to future titlist Alexandro Santiago and former two-weight world champ Paul Butler, but all the while, the 36-year-old slugger improved.

In his two most recent bouts, the determined Garcia fought to a draw against Rene Calixto before scoring a close split decision triumph over his countryman for the vacant IBF title. This weekend's fight will be his maiden defense and the biggest fight of his life.

"[Garcia is] aggressive and wants to get close, so it's very important to control the distance against him," Teraji stated. "I plan to box both long and in close to see what my opponent does. I'll then decide the best way to fight him in order to win.

"I have more energy, power, and more speed in this division, so we’ll see how the fight goes."

Despite unifying at junior flyweight and flyweight, Teraji is yet to become an undisputed champion. Should he defeat Garcia, there may be an opportunity to face pound-for-pound stalwart Bam Rodriguez, who currently holds the Ring, WBA, WBC and WBO 115-pound titles.

One potential roadblock to that fight transpiring, however, is Australian star and IBF mandatory challenger Andrew Moloney, who has been ordered to face the Garcia-Teraji winner by June 25. While Teraji couldn't shed any light on how that situation would play out, his eyes widened when Bam's name was mentioned.

"I didn't watch the full fight between Bam Rodriguez and Fernando Martinez," said Teraji, who is admittedly not a fight fan. "From what I did see, including the knockout, Bam was very strong and had great timing.

"If I should win [against Garcia] and become champion, then I would plan to fight Bam sometime in 2026. However, before that can happen, I must win this fight."

A battle between Bam and Teraji would feature two future Hall of Famers who always bring the heat. In terms of superfights at 115 pounds, this one would be the gold standard.

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