Daigo Higa is banking on the third time being a charm in his latest bid to claim a bantamweight title.
The former WBC 112lbs beltholder pushed countryman Yoshiki Takei and Seiya Tsutsumi in back-to-back title fights but came up empty on both occasions. From a betting perspective, Higa stands a more favorable chance this time around as he challenges WBA titlist Antonio Vargas.
In fact, Higa is willing to risk his future on a victory this Wednesday.
“If I win, I'll be happy,” Higa said during the final pre-fight press conference, though with a qualifier. “But if I lose, I'll just hold a retirement press conference."
Vargas-Higa serves as the chief support to the Kenshiro Teraji-Ricardo Sandovan WBA/WBC flyweight title fight. DAZN (U.S. and U.K.) and U-Next (Japan) will air both bouts – along with the Erick Rosa- Kyosuke Takami WBA 108lbs title fight – live on Wednesday, beginning at 5:50 a.m. ET/10:50 a.m. BST from Yokohama Buntai in Yokohama, Japan.
Higa, 21-3-2 (19 KOs) is listed as a -350 favorite according to FanDuel Sportsbook, despite having not won a fight since 2023 New Year’s Eve. His competitiveness at the top level, however, comes in stark contrast to Vargas, 19-1 (11 KOs; 1 No-Contest), who lacks a signature win and was essentially gifted a title.
In fact, Vargas has Higa to thank for his upgrade to full titlist from WBA interim beltholder status. The 2016 U.S. Olympian from Kissimmee, Florida was the mandatory challenger to Tsutsumi, who was unable to recover in time from injuries sustained in a 12-round draw with Higa in their brutal slugfest.
Tsutsumi was downgraded from WBA 118lbs titlist to ‘Champion in Recess’ as a result.
Vargas claimed the secondary title in a tenth-round knockout of unbeaten Winston Guerrero last December 13 in Orlando, mere minutes from his Kissimmee hometown. Most of his pro career has taken place in that region, as he travels abroad for the first time.
Higa previously held the WBC flyweight title for nearly a year, but lost the belt at the scales even before a ninth-round knockout defeat to Cristofer Rosales. His weight miss was disciplined by the Japanese Boxing Commission (JBC), as he was suspended and then further idle when the 2020 Covid pandemic shut down the sport.
Just eight fights have followed in more than four years. Higa is 5-2-1 over that period, though all three blemishes have come against current or future titleholders. He dropped a twelve-round decision to Ryosuke Nishida, who was just 3-0 at the time and went on to claim the IBF bantamweight title.
Four victories followed before his narrow defeat to Takei in their September 4 WBO title fight, followed by his brutal stalemate with Tsutsumi. Another high contact affair is expected on Wednesday, though one where Higa is confident of victory.
After all, his fighting future depends on it.
“This is my last chance,” acknowledged Higa. “I’ve had great preparation, so all that’s left is to fight. We will both be fighting at close range. One of us will [eventually] land and the other will fall.”
