We now have the answer to Kenshiro Teraji’s notable omission from Teiken Promotions’ latest event announcement.

The Ring has learned that hard plans are in place for a flyweight title unification bout that would see Teraji (24-1, 15 KOs) risk his WBC belt against WBA titleholder Seigo Yuri Akui (21-2-1, 11 KOs).

A date is not yet set for the all-Japan title fight, though it is targeted to take place in early spring.

Teraji and Akui are rated No. 2 and No. 3, respectively, by The Ring. Mexico’s Angel Ayala (18-0, 8 KOs), the reigning IBF titleholder, is the only flyweight rated above them.

The terrific matchup would mark just the third time in history where two reigning titlists from Japan will meet in a unification bout. Two will have involved Teraji.

Kazuto Ioka (31-3-1, 16 KOs) was an unbeaten WBC strawweight titlist when he edged then-WBA title claimant Akira Yaeagshi in their June 2012 instant classic.

More than ten years later, Teraji tore through then-unbeaten countryman Hiroto Kyoguchi in their Nov. 2022 WBC/WBA junior flyweight title unification bout. His eighth-round knockout also resulted in his claiming The Ring 108-pound championship, which he held until last June when he abdicated the throne to campaign at flyweight.

Teraji claimed the vacant WBC flyweight title in an eleventh-round knockout of former titleholder Cristofer Rosales on Oct. 13 at Ariake Arena in Tokyo. The fight was part of a two-night, seven title bout extravaganza in Tokyo, presented by Teiken.

Akui made his second successful defense on the same Oct. 13 show. He outpointed Thailand’s Thananchai Charunphak (25-2, 15 KOs) over twelve rounds to retain the WBA flyweight belt he claimed in a twelve-round, unanimous decision over Artem Dalakian on Jan. 23 in Osaka.

The victory over Charunphak capped a three-win 2024 campaign for the 29-year-old Akui. He outpointed Yokohama’s Taku Kuwahara (13-1, 8 KOs at the time) on the May 6 Naoya Inoue-Luis Nery undercard at the Tokyo Dome.