Daigo Higa has revealed that he considered walking away from boxing after a difficult period marked by frequent drinking and three unsuccessful bantamweight world title attempts.
The former WBC flyweight champion came close to winning another belt but suffered a narrow defeat to Yoshiki Takei before consecutive draws against Seiya Tsutsumi and Antonio Vargas. After the Vargas fight, Higa said he drank almost every day and seriously considered finding a regular job.
“I spent a lot of time thinking about whether I should continue boxing or move on,” Higa said. “In the end, I realized that boxing is what I truly want to do.”
The 30-year-old has since reduced his alcohol intake, returned to serious training and will face Riku Masuda for the WBA “regular” bantamweight title at Tokyo’s Kokugikan.
Higa expects an aggressive clash against the taller southpaw, identifying Masuda’s left hand as a major threat while backing his own ability to close the distance and fight effectively at close range.
Masuda (10-1, 9 KOs) enters after stopping four-division champion Nonito Donaire in eight rounds. Higa (21-3-3, 19 KOs) believes victory could revive his world title ambitions and eventually lead to elite opponents such as Jesse Rodriguez.
Image Credit: ESPN