A showdown between Galal Yafai and Francisco Rodriguez is set to determine the next opponent for WBC world flyweight champion Kenshiro Teraji.
The pair were previously ordered to square off but, with their teams failing to reach an agreement, the WBC has now confirmed a purse bid for March 25.
Yafai, 9-0 (7 KOs), claimed his interim title with a scintillating sixth-round stoppage victory over former world champion Sunny Edwards last November.
It was a performance that saw the Olympic gold medallist showcase his suffocating style, never allowing Edwards even a brief window of respite from his relentless pressure.
Rodriguez, 39-6-1 (27 KOs), meanwhile, secured a unanimous decision victory over Josue Morales in his last outing before the result was later overturned to a no-decision.
The reasons for which remain somewhat unclear but, in any case, the 32-year-old has proven to be a sturdy operator in the lower divisions.
Other than his defeats to Japanese titans Junto Nakatani and Kazuto Ioka, ‘Chihuas’, who is trained by esteemed coach Eddy Reynoso, has remained unbeaten for nearly a decade.
And now, with Reynoso and Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn entering a purse bid, the interim title fight between Yafai and Rodriguez is seemingly just around the corner.
As for Teraji, 25-1 (16 KOs), the WBC titlist comes off a 12th-round stoppage victory over former world champion Seigo Yuri Akui, further cementing himself as the top dog at flyweight.
But with Yafai emerging as a new, tenacious contender in the division, perhaps he could pose the Japanese sensation a series of challenges should he get past number one-ranked contender Rodriguez.
