Takei edges Higa, barely keeps WBO 118lb belt

By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda (coming soon)

Southpaw footworker Yoshiki Takei (10-0, 8 KOs), 117.75, very barely kept his WBO bantamweight belt as he was awarded a hairline unanimous decision (114-113 twice, 115-112) over ex-WBC flyweight champ Daigo Higa (21-3-1, 19 KOs), 117.75, over twelve sizzling rounds on Tuesday in Tokyo, Japan. Takei kept circling to counter with uppercuts to the shorter but more powerful challenger. The tide turned busily as Takei and Higa scored with solid shots each other. The eleventh round saw Higa connected with a roundhouse shot at the neck of Takei, who went down to take the count. Takei, however, furiously went forward to overcome his deficit on point in the final session, when Higa didn’t show any of his aggressiveness only to try to keep his accumulation of points. It turned out to be a serious mistake for Higa. Though the judges eventually favored the defending champ, it wasn’t a good performance for Takei.

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