By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda

Having been indefinitely suspended for his overweight scandal in April 2018, former WBC flyweight champ Daigo Higa (16-1, 16 KOs), 118.75, returned to ring warfare after a 22-month hiatus and decked a TKO victory over Filipino Jason Buenaobra (7-5-3, 3 KOs), 118.75, at 2:25 of the sixth round in a scheduled eight on Thursday in Tokyo, Japan.  Still 24-year-old, Higa, a hard-punching pressure fighter, revealed his ring rust but finally caught up with the durable Filipino, dropping him twice prior to the ref’s intervention.  The short but muscular Okinawan moved up to the bantam category, but might need some bouts to hone his fists and regain his sharpness.