Ricardo Sandoval

Bio

Ricardo Sandoval is the unified WBC and WBA flyweight champion of the world, and make no mistake, that unification was earned the hard way. In July 2025 the 27-year-old Mexican travelled to Yokohama and edged a split decision over Japanese star Kenshiro Teraji — the kind of win that tells you everything about Sandoval's mentality, technique, and nerve in the biggest moments.

The 27-2 record with 18 knockouts understates how well-rounded he is. He's a classic Mexican pressure fighter but with enough skill to back it up against slicker opponents. Body shots, compact hooks, and the willingness to take a shot to land one — that's the template. He's 27 years old and in his absolute prime right now.

Sandoval makes his first unified defence on June 6 at the Utilita Arena in Sheffield against British Olympic gold medallist Galal Yafai. He's agreed to travel across the Atlantic for this one, which tells you he fancies the matchup. He'll trust his pressure and his experience to break Yafai down over twelve rounds.

Luke's read: Sandoval is a proper world champion, not a paper one. His amateur career was limited but his pro development has been textbook. If Yafai can't establish territory in the first six rounds, Sandoval wins this late. The body shots are his equaliser.