After securing his title, Yoshiki Takei felt let down by not achieving a knockout in his last bout. The current WBO bantamweight champion is ready to continue his winning streak, even if it means going up against his longtime friend and former flyweight champion, Daigo Higa.
The upcoming 12-round match between Takei and Higa is set to happen on Tuesday at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan. This fight will act as the main warm-up for the Naoya Inoue-TJ Doheny RING/undisputed 122-pound championship fight. Fans can catch both matches live on ESPN+ starting at 5:45 a.m. ET.
Takei (9-0, 8 KOs) is determined to defend the title he earned with a win over Jason Moloney. Despite facing a tough 12th round in their previous clash in May, Takei was unable to secure the knockout he had hoped for. He is now focused on clinching a knockout victory against Higa on Tuesday.
Higa (21-2-1, 19 KOs) has experienced only one stoppage loss in his career, which marked the end of his title reign. Despite a few setbacks, he heads into the match with four consecutive victories, including two fourth-round knockout wins in 2023.
While both fighters shared friendly exchanges during the pre-fight press conference, Takei emphasized his determination to win decisively. Although Higa may be smiling, Takei is set on taking control of the fight and emerging victorious.
For more updates, follow @JakeNDaBox on Twitter.
