Former WBC world flyweight champion Daigo Higa (21-2-1, 19KOs) halted Thailand’s Navapon Khaikanha (58-4-1, 48 KOs) as the chief support on the undercard of Kazuto Ioka Vs Josber Perez in at the Ota-City Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan.
Higa built a fearsome reputation at flyweight where he scored 14 knockout wins in 14 fights until he lost his world title to Cristofer Rosales in 2018. Since moving up two weight classes he has seen his power deplete, winning three fights by knockout in eight, but tonight he made it four in nine.
A series of shots with a big uppercut sent Khaikanha stumbling to the middle of the ring where Higa ended the show with a right hand to the body with 43 seconds on the clock remaining in the fourth round.
The two men went toe-to-toe for the entirety of the short fight, both taking a shot to land a shot. Higa was scoring with the right to the body at will, but the Thai man egged the local man forward after taking a big right to the body midway through the second. It would prove fatal, with Khaikanha taking the knockout loss in his first fight outside his homeland.
Fast-tracked prospect Hayato Tsutsumi (4-0, 1 KOs) scored his first professional knockout victory against Luis Moncton Ventura (11-1, 9 KOs).
The Japanese boxer, aged 24, took on the undefeated Dominican Ventura over 10 rounds at featherweight. The amateur world youth champion found himself ranked in the WBC’s top 15 in just three professional bouts.
Tsutsumi had the fight wrapped up inside three rounds against the unknown quantity Ventura. The Dominican was on the canvas with about a minute to go in the round following a series of devastating uppercuts.
After making it to his feet, Tsutsumi was intent on closing the show. Backed into a corner, Ventura was hit with various shots, ending in a left hook that stopped the fight. The bell rang with Ventura still on the floor.
