WBO champion Takei expected to defend against Higa next
Earlier today Sanspo in Japan reported that WBO Bantamweight champion Yoshiki Takei (9-0, 8) [武居由樹 is expected to return to the ring later this year, expected to be September, to make his first defense of the title. That defense is expected to not be a unification, as some had hopes, but instead a mandatory defense against former WBC Flyweight champion Daigo Higa (21-2-1, 19) [比嘉 大吾], who has won 4 in a row since being beaten by current IBF Bantamweight champion Ryosuke Nishida (9-0, 1) [西田凌佑] in April 2021.
Sanspo report that the bout is the expected first defense of Takei and will take place on the yet to be announced card headlined by Undisputed Super Bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue (27-0, 24) [井上尚弥] defending his titles against former IBF champion TJ Doheny (26-4, 19), which Inoue himself returning back to sparring recent and beginning to focus on southpaw opponents.
Although the Sanspo article links the two bouts together, it didn’t reveal the venue for the contest, or the date, with other sources suggesting that it will be a September date and be held at the Es Con Field Hokkaido, a 35,000 seater baseball stadium, which has been trying to secure a workable offer to the Ohashi Gym.
The Sanspo article is available to read here.
Sanspo report that the bout is the expected first defense of Takei and will take place on the yet to be announced card headlined by Undisputed Super Bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue (27-0, 24) [井上尚弥] defending his titles against former IBF champion TJ Doheny (26-4, 19), which Inoue himself returning back to sparring recent and beginning to focus on southpaw opponents.
Although the Sanspo article links the two bouts together, it didn’t reveal the venue for the contest, or the date, with other sources suggesting that it will be a September date and be held at the Es Con Field Hokkaido, a 35,000 seater baseball stadium, which has been trying to secure a workable offer to the Ohashi Gym.
The Sanspo article is available to read here.