Retrospective · Fight: January 23, 2024 · Published:
Verified outcome
Teraji retained the WBC and WBA light-flyweight titles by majority decision in Osaka. The official cards were 113-113 and 114-112 twice for Teraji, and both fighters were knocked down. Scores of 113-113, 114-112 and 114-112 show the smallest practical margin: changing one round on either winning card creates a draw. Knockdowns by both men also supplied decisive points and prevent the story from becoming volume without consequence.
Why it mattered
The narrow cards made this a defense that strengthened Cañizales’s standing even in defeat. The WBC also documented the use of open scoring after rounds four and eight, adding an unusual strategic layer because the corners had official information during the fight. Because the open scores were level or narrow at both disclosure points, neither corner could reasonably treat the final stretch as ceremonial. Teraji had to defend his belts under immediate scoreboard pressure; Cañizales had evidence that the upset remained within reach. That tension is a major reason the decision still invites debate. Teraji defended two belts at home; Cañizales traveled from Venezuela for a unified opportunity. Open scoring disclosed cards after rounds four and eight, giving both teams official information with eight and then four rounds still available.
A cautious reading
Its defining feature was competitive balance: a knockdown for each boxer and only one round separating the winner on two cards. That is a reminder that drama and scoring certainty are different things. After four, Cañizales led on one card while two were level. After eight, Teraji led two and the third remained tied. That progression made the finish a known race: the champion had recovered ground but possessed no margin to manage safely.
A rewatch question
Would knowing the open scores change how you judge each boxer’s choices in the final four rounds? The decision kept the titles with Teraji without diminishing the challenger. Cañizales forced the champion to rise, adjust and win enough of the remaining contest; the narrow cards are therefore more informative than any broad label of dominance or upset. They show precisely why the disclosed scores could not invite either corner to coast. The last four rounds remained an active championship contest rather than a formal finish.
Sources
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