# Daigo Higa

Daigo Higa (比嘉 大吾, Higa Daigo, born August 9, 1995) is a Japanese professional boxer who held the WBC flyweight title from 2017 to 2018.

## Amateur career

Higa turned pro at the age of 18, after a brief amateur career where he accrued a 36–8 record.

## Professional career

Higa's manager is Boxing Hall of Fame member Yoko Gushiken. Higa made his professional debut in June 2014, defeating Saengkeng Saknarong by technical knockout less than a minute into the first round. He won his first title by stopping previously undefeated Thai fighter Kongfah CP Freshmart in 7 rounds to claim the WBC Youth flyweight title. He went on to defend that title twice before claiming the OPBF flyweight belt against Filipino gatekeeper Ardin Diale. Higa broke down and battered Diale with body shots, eventually stopping him in round 4.

### Higa vs. Hernandez

On 2017, Higa won a world championship in his first try, defeating Juan Hernández by technical knockout to become the WBC flyweight title. Hernández had won the title earlier that year against Nawaphon Por Chokchai and was scheduled to make his first defense against Higa. However, he lost his belt at the scales due to coming in over the weight limit. Higa dominated Hernández, dropping him five times over the course over the fight before the referee finally stopped the contest. With the win, Higa became Okinawa's first boxing world champion since Akinobu Hiranaka.
After becoming a world champion, Higa said his goals were facing WBA champion Kazuto Ioka in a flyweight unification bout and breaking Japan's record of 15 consecutive knockouts.

### Higa vs. Rosales

On 15 April, 2018, Higa defended his WBC flyweight title for the third time in a row against challenger Cristofer Rosales. Higa lost the fight and his belt via TKO in the ninth round.

### Higa vs. Tsutsumi

On 26 October, 2020, Higa fought Seiya Tsutsumi. The fight ended in a majority draw, one judge scoring it in favour of Higa, 96-94, while the other two judges saw the fight as a draw, scoring it 95-95.

### Higa vs. Kobayashi

On 31 December, 2020, Higa fought Yuki Kobayashi, who was ranked #9 by the IBF and #14 by the WBO at bantamweight. Higa won via a fifth-round knockout.

#### Higa vs. Tsutsumi

Higa is scheduled to challenge Seiya Tsutsumi for his WBA bantamweight title at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan on February 24, 2025. The fight ended in a draw with all three judges scoring it 114–114.

## Professional boxing record

| 26 fights | 21 wins | 3 losses |
| By knockout | 19 | 1 |
| By decision | 2 | 2 |
| Draws | 2 | 2 |
| No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
| 26 | Draw | 21–3–2 | Seiya Tsutsumi | UD | 12 | 24 Feb 2025 | Ariake Arena, Tokyo, Japan | For WBA bantamweight title |
| 25 | Loss | 21–3–1 | Yoshiki Takei | UD | 12 | 3 Sep 2024 | Ariake Arena, Tokyo, Japan | For WBO bantamweight title |
| 24 | Win | 21–2–1 | Nawaphon Kaikanha | KO | 4 (10), 2:29 | 31 Dec 2023 | Ota City General Gymnasium, Tokyo, Japan | |
| 23 | Win | 20–2–1 | Yodmongkol CP Freshmart | KO | 4 (10), 1:34 | 24 Jun 2023 | Ota City General Gymnasium, Tokyo, Japan | |
| 22 | Win | 19–2–1 | Songsaeng Phoyaem | UD | 10 | 15 Nov 2022 | Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan | |
| 21 | Win | 18–2–1 | Froilan Saludar | SD | 8 | 13 Jul 2022 | Ota City General Gymnasium, Tokyo, Japan | |
| 20 | Loss | 17–2–1 | Ryosuke Nishida | UD | 12 | 24 Apr 2021 | Convention Center, Ginowan, Japan | Lost WBO Asia Pacific bantamweight title |
| 19 | Win | 17–1–1 | Yuki Strong Kobayashi | TKO | 5 (12), 0:45 | 31 Dec 2020 | Ota City General Gymnasium, Tokyo, Japan | Won WBO Asia Pacific bantamweight title |
| 18 | Draw | 16–1–1 | Seiya Tsutsumi | MD | 10 | 26 Oct 2020 | Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan | |
| 17 | Win | 16–1 | Jason Buenaobra | TKO | 6 (8), 2:25 | 13 Feb 2020 | Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan | |
| 16 | Loss | 15–1 | Cristofer Rosales | TKO | 9 (12), 1:42 | 15 Apr 2018 | Yokohama Arena, Yokohama, Japan | WBC flyweight title at stake only for Rosales, Higa missed weight |
| 15 | Win | 15–0 | Moisés Fuentes | KO | 1 (12), 2:32 | 4 Feb 2018 | Prefectural Budokan, Naha, Japan | Retained WBC flyweight title |
| 14 | Win | 14–0 | Thomas Masson | TKO | 7 (12), 1:10 | 22 Oct 2017 | Ryōgoku Kokugikan, Tokyo, Japan | Retained WBC flyweight title |
| 13 | Win | 13–0 | Juan Hernández | TKO | 6 (12), 2:58 | 20 May 2017 | Ariake Coliseum, Tokyo, Japan | Won vacant WBC flyweight title |
| 12 | Win | 12–0 | Diomel Diocos | TKO | 4 (10), 2:29 | 4 Feb 2017 | Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan | |
| 11 | Win | 11–0 | Felipe Cagubcob Jr. | KO | 4 (12), 2:55 | 5 Nov 2016 | Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan | Retained OPBF flyweight title |
| 10 | Win | 10–0 | Ardin Diale | KO | 4 (12), 2:39 | 2 Jul 2016 | Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan | Won OPBF flyweight title |
| 9 | Win | 9–0 | Romel Oliveros | KO | 2 (10), 2:19 | 5 Apr 2016 | Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan | Retained WBC Youth flyweight title |
| 8 | Win | 8–0 | Renren Tesorio | TKO | 10 (10), 2:05 | 7 Nov 2015 | Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan | Retained WBC Youth flyweight title |
| 7 | Win | 7–0 | Kongfah CP Freshmart | KO | 7 (10), 1:01 | 24 Jul 2015 | Siam Paradise Entertainment Centre, Bangkok, Thailand | Won vacant WBC Youth flyweight title |
| 6 | Win | 6–0 | Cris Alfante | KO | 4 (6), 0:37 | 8 Jun 2015 | Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan | |
| 5 | Win | 5–0 | Virden Rivera | KO | 2 (6), 2:55 | 10 May 2015 | Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan | |
| 4 | Win | 4–0 | Pongpayu Chaiyonggym | TKO | 2 (6), 1:36 | 12 Jan 2015 | Culture Center, Hongcheon, South Korea | |
| 3 | Win | 3–0 | Keisuke Fujji | TKO | 1 (4), 1:20 | 26 Nov 2014 | Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan | |
| 2 | Win | 2–0 | Rotthang Wor Por Srisaket | TKO | 2 (4), 2:40 | 22 Aug 2014 | Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan | |
| 1 | Win | 1–0 | Saengkeng Saknarong | TKO | 1 (4), 0:50 | 17 Jun 2014 | Korakuen Hall, Tokyo, Japan | |

## Exhibition boxing record

| 1 fight | 0 wins | 0 losses |
| Non-scored | 1 | 1 |
| No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
| 1 | — | 0–0 (1) | Naoya Inoue | — | 3 | 11 Feb 2021 | Yoyogi National Gymnasium, Tokyo, Japan | Non-scored bout |