They say the third time is the charm. However, when Daigo Higa failed to capture the bantamweight world title in his third attempt, he decided it was time to bid farewell to the sport. The Japanese fighter debuted way back in 2014 and went on a tear in the flyweight division, capturing the vacant WBC flyweight title in 2017.
The 29-year-old enjoyed a commendable championship reign, successfully defending the title twice, before losing it in 2018. He could have had a longer run, but had to move up to 118 lbs after struggling to make weight against Cristofer Rosales. Higa didn’t want to move up despite missing the weight. But when the strict Japanese Boxing Commission intervened, he had no other choice.
His reluctance proved right as the 29-year-old found himself robbed of his speed and never really made a similar impact. However, through sheer Japanese warrior grit, he made an impressive comeback and established himself as a title contender again by 2024. But like a broken record, just when it seemed everything was sailing smoothly, his career halted again. So, on July 30th, when Daigo Higa faced WBA champion Antonio Vargas in Yokohama for his WBA bantamweight title, on the back of two failed attempts at title glory, and not winning a fight since 2023, he had already made up his mind in case he lost.
In a pre-match interview, he even declared, “If I lose, I’ll just hold a retirement press conference.” Although he battled to a tough, hard-fought draw in one of 2025’s most intense matches, he stood by his earlier statement. Shortly after the fight, Ring Magazine reported that Daigo Higa had decided to retire.
Daigo Higa has announced his retirement from boxing aged 29 following his draw with Antonio Vargas today.
The former WBC flyweight world champion fell just short in three consecutive attempts to win a bantamweight world title, and retires with a record of 21-3-3. pic.twitter.com/4QWq5gGlcI
— Ring Magazine (@ringmagazine) July 30, 2025
29 is indeed a young age to retire. Furthermore, given the Okinawa-native’s talent, he could have given a lot more to the sport. However, this was not the right division for that.
A forced move that killed Daigo Higa’s career
Since moving up to 118 lbs six years ago, the Japanese puncher has mostly struggled to make a mark. A record of 6-2-3 at bantamweight doesn’t scream exciting or world championship material. Additionally, the punishment he endured from naturally larger opponents, particularly in his last three bouts, had been significant.
Coming into the Vargas fight, Higa already knew that fact. “This is my last chance. I’ve had great preparation, so all that’s left is to fight. We will both be fighting at close range. One of us will land and the other will fall,” he acknowledged, looking back at his career. If the 29-year-old still dreams of capturing a title, he must face either a familiar foe he’s already lost to or the unbeaten phenom Junto Nakatani, a daunting challenge, especially knowing this division isn’t where he thrives, and with Nakatani targeting a fight against Naoya Inoue, the wait would have been tragically long.
So, with the extremely strict Japanese Boxing Commission denying him a move back down to 115 lbs, it seems like the right move for his health. His career, though brief with only 27 fights, was intense across two weight classes, which he can look back on with pride. In boxing, knowing when to retire is a challenge many fighters face, and Daigo Higa seems at peace with his choice. So, does anything else truly matter? What do you think?
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