An anticipated WBC/WBA flyweight championship bout between the United State's Ricardo Sandoval and Britain’s Galal Yafai is expected to take place in early 2026, according to promoter Eddie Hearn. Yafai, an Olympic gold medalist and the current mandatory challenger, earned his shot after losing to Francisco Rodríguez Jr., but Rodriguez tested positive for heptaminol immediately after the June fight. With that result overturned, the WBC reinstated Sandoval as champion, after his prior brilliant win against Japan’s Kenshiro Teraji. Sandoval apparently was stripped by the WBC for failing to fight Rodriguez. The WBA continues to list Teraji as its flyweight champion despite Teraji losing his last fight (vs. Sandoval via split decision). Teraji's next fight will be for the IBF superflyweight title vs. Willibadlo Garcia Perez.
The delay in scheduling the Sandoval-Yafai fight comes from an injury Sandoval suffered after his bout with Teraji. Although the match was initially planned for late 2025, Hearn explained that they decided to postpone it to ensure the champion’s full recovery. “Ricardo needed time to heal, and Galal also comes off a tough twelve-rounder, so this timing works for both,” said Hearn, who expects to finalize the date and venue soon.
PRIOR BOXINGTALK COVERAGE
JULY 30, 2025: California's Ricardo “El Niño” Sandoval (27-2, 18 KOs) pulled off the biggest win of his career, scoring a
split decision upset victory over Japan’s Kenshiro “The Amazing Boy” Teraji (25-2, 16 KOs) on Wednesday night at the Yokohama Buntai. With the win, Sandoval is now the unified WBA and WBC flyweight world champion. Teraji sent Sandoval
to the canvas in round five. The bout delivered fireworks from the opening bell. Teraji looked to set the tone early, working behind his jab and lateral footwork to control range. But Sandoval came with a game plan built on relentless pressure, body work, and fierce exchanges in close quarters—where he landed the harder, cleaner shots. As the rounds wore on, the fight tightened considerably. Teraji had flashes of tactical brilliance, but Sandoval refused to back down, sustaining his high pace through the middle rounds
JULY 28, 2025: Francisco Rodriguez, Jr. of Mexico, who recently failed a post-fight doping test, will not be suspended by the WBC, and outrageously, the WBC has ordered Rodriguez's victim to grant him a rematch! Here is the WBC's twisted decision: On July 8th the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (“VADA”) notified the WBC that the urine “A Sample” collected from Francisco Rodriguez, Jr., on June 21st in Birmingham, UK in connection with his bout for the WBC interim flyweight title against Galal Yafai yielded an adverse analytical finding for Heptaminol. The WBC Clean Boxing Program undertook an investigation of the specific circumstances, health concerns, and legal precedent surrounding the Adverse Finding, in light of the governing WBC Rules & Regulations and WBC CBP Protocol.
JULY 9, 2025: According to Matchroom Boxing, "[VADA,] the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association informed Matchroom, the World Boxing Council and the British Boxing Board of Control that Francisco Rodriguez has returned an adverse analytical finding as part of a post-fight night anti-doping test following his bout with Galal Yafai on June 21, 2025. The matter will be handled by the BBB of C and the WBC." On June 21st, Rodríguez (40-6-1) defeated Yafai by unanimous decision in Birmingham, England. With the win, Rodrgiguez became the WBC interim flyweight champion. Rodriguez was looking for the knockout from the first round on, but Yafai managed to avoid the stoppage. Both fighters received cuts over their left eyes due to the constant exchanges of punches and accidental head clashes. Rodríguez punished the British fighter with even greater intensity from the ninth round onwards, sending him to the canvas at the start of the twelfth. After the referee’s count, Yafai’s punishment continued until the final bell rang to end the fight. The judges’ scores were 119-108 (twice) and 118-109, all in favor of the Mexican fighter. Boxingtalk recognizes Yafai's pro record as 16-4 including the World Series of Boxing.
JUNE 22, 2025: In another example of the recent trend of Mexicans going to England to defeat Matchroom-promoted boxers, Francisco “Chihuas” Rodríguez (40-6-1) put on a great fight in Birmingham and defeated Galal Yafai by unanimous decision. Rodrgiguez is now the WBC interim flyweight champion. Rodriguez was looking for the knockout from the first round, but the British fighter managed to hold on to avoid the loss. Both fighters received cuts over their left eyes due to the constant exchanges of punches and accidental head clashes. Rodríguez punished the British fighter with even greater intensity from the ninth round onwards, sending him to the canvas at the start of the twelfth. After the referee’s count, Yafai’s punishment continued until the final bell rang to end the fight. The judges’ scores were 119-108 (twice) and 118-109, all in favor of the Mexican fighter. Boxingtalk recogizes Yafai's pro record as 16-4 including the World Series of Boxing.
