Antonio Vargas traveled to Japan as a considerable underdog but left with his title intact and plenty of options for his next outing.
The reigning WBA 118lbs titlist traded knockdowns with Daigo Higa in a bout that ended in a twelve-round, unanimous draw. All three judges scored the contest six 113-113 – six rounds apiece to Vargas and Higa in their entertaining battle Wednesday at Yokohama Buntai in Yokohama, Japan.
Vargas, 19-1-1 (11 KOs), knew what he signed up for when he agreed to face the scrappy Higa, 21-3-3 (19 KOs), a former WBC 112lbs titlist and current bantamweight contender. Their fight was entertaining enough to where a rematch is warranted, should Tokyo’s Higa, 29, walk back his pre-fight vow to retire if he didn’t win a 118lbs title in his third consecutive attempt.
“I wanted to get the win. Higa was a great opponent,” Vargas noted during his post-fight interview. “It’s not the outcome I wanted. I guess it is a title defense but I wouldn’t mind giving him a rematch.
“It was my first time in Japan. It’s a beautiful country. I look forward to being back.”
Vargas lodged his first successful defense after being upgraded to full titlist from his previous interim title status. The advancement was made after Tokyo’s Seiya Tsutsumi, 12-0-3 (8 KOs), was unable to comply with a WBA-ordered title consolidation bout due to injuries sustained in his own clash with Higa, which interestingly also ended in a unanimous draw.
Tsutsumi was downgraded to ‘Champion in Recess’ as a result, but was ringside for this bout – alongside lineal, WBC and IBF 118lbs champ Junto Nakatani - and is now prepared to reclaim his old belt.
“Look, same belt,” Tsutsumi joked to Vargas as he brought his own version of the WBA title with him into the ring. “Congratulations on defending your title, I am sorry to interrupt your moment.
“In the WBA, there are a lot of things happening. There are two championship belts right now in the ring and then the interim title [held by Nonito Donaire]. It’s our job to unify our two titles into one.”
The proposal of a rescheduled first fight with Tsutsumi sounded just as attractive to Vargas as a return match with Higa.
“That sounds good,” responded Vargas. “I would like to fight [Tsutsumi], he is a great champion. He got cut in his last fight; I was supposed to fight him. But, he’s a respectful champion… if we can make it happen, I would like to make that fight happen.”
The promise was music to Tsutsumi’s ears.
“I wish you all the best and I look forward to facing you when I’m back at full strength,” offered Tsutsumi.
Jake Donovan is an award-winning journalist who served as a senior writer for BoxingScene
