With a record of 27-2, (18 KO’s), Ricardo Sandoval is no longer just a rising contender – he’s now a unified world champion! The flyweight from Rialto, CA, shook up the boxing world when he traveled to Japan and dethroned two-division unified titlist Kenshiro Teraji in front of his home crowd on July 30.

Teraji, widely regarded as a pound-for-pound talent, pushed Sandoval into deep waters, dropping him with a heavy right hand in the fifth round, but ‘El Niño’ weathered the storm, stayed composed and fought back with the grit of a champion. After 12 brutal rounds, Sandoval walked away with a split decision victory and the WBC and WBA world titles. This was his first shot at world title glory, and a career-defining win.

Sandoval first made headlines in July 2024 when he captured the WBC Flyweight Silver Title with a tenth-round knockout over former WBO light flyweight world champion Ángel Acosta at Toyota Arena. That breakout performance launched him into the top of the division, earning him top-six rankings across all major sanctioning bodies and The Ring Magazine. In early 2024 he signed with Golden Boy Promotions, joining one of boxing’s most elite stables, and has lived up to the hype ever since.

He successfully defended his WBC Silver title on the undercard of Oscar Duarte vs. Miguel Madueño at the Honda Center on Feb. 15, 2025, proving once again that he’s one of the most dangerous flyweights in the sport.

Now a unified champion in one of boxing’s deepest weight classes, Sandoval has kicked the door open and even bigger fights await. As Golden Boy’s newest world champion, ‘El Niño’ is no longer on the rise. He’s here!