Naoya Inoue vs. Daigo Higa | Exhibition - February 11, 2021

[Ruthless-RKO]

Naoya Inoue Vs. Daigo Higa Is Only An Exhibition, But Things Could Get Lively

While fans of WBA/IBF bantamweight champ Naoya Inoue (and who doesn’t love watching this guy in action!) would prefer it if he was in a real fight this week, the fact that “The Monster” will be in action in an exhibition bout is still something to get at least a little excited about. Especially when we look at his dance partner. Inoue, 20-0(17) will face former WBC 112 pound champ Daigo Higa, 17-1-1(17) in Tokyo on Thursday.

There will be other exhibition bouts taking place, including:

Hiroto Kyoguchi Vs. Akira Yaegashi, Takashi Uchiyama Vs. Kosuke Saka, and Sho Kimura Vs. Yoshiki Takei.

All bouts will be scheduled for three rounds.

It is, though, the Inoue bout that carries with it the most interest. Simply put, “The Monster” is just that, a monster puncher, and it remains to be seen whether or not the 27-year-old pound-for-pound star will be able to pull his punches and/or take it easy on Higa when the bell rings. This is just not something that seems to be in Inoue’s nature. As for 25-year-old Higa, he is hungry for a shot at a world bantamweight title and it just might be that the former champ at flyweight will look to make an impression on Inoue. Higa is coming off a KO win, over Yuki Kobayashi, who he stopped on New Year’s Eve.

Simply put, these two bangers might, well, have the urge to bang the other guy out exhibition or no.

For the fans who are prepared to shell out $950 for a ringside seat, there had better be some tasty action on display. For his part, Inoue said at the press conference to hype Thursday’s show that he intends to give the fans something entertaining. This exhibition bout might prove to be far more lively than the recent 8X2 minute rounds Mike Tyson and Roy Jones engaged in back in November.

Again, we would prefer to see Inoue back in action in a real fight, but all the same, it will be good to see him in the ring in this stay-busy affair. Who knows, maybe Inoue and Higa will meet up again one day, this time in a fight that will go down on both of their pro records?

[Ruthless-RKO]

Current and former world champions of Japan will participate in a charity event named “Legend” on this coming Thursday (a holiday called National Foundation Day) in Tokyo, Japan

They will show special exhibitions for three rounds at the Yoyogi First Gymnasium, as follows:

Naoya Inoue (WBA, IBF 118-pound champion)
vs.
Daigo Higa (ex-WBC 112-pound titlist, now a bantamweight)

Hiroto Kyoguchi (WBA 108-pound titleholder)
vs.
Akira Yaegashi (former three-division champ; retired)

Takashi Uchiyama (ex-WBA 130-pound champion; retired)
vs.
Kosuke Saka (current JBC 130-pound titlist)

Sho Kimura (ex-WBO flyweight ruler)
vs.
Yoshiki Takei (former K-1 champ who will make a debut this March)

Plus three other contests.

The organizer is an enterprise Onsite Screen of a PCR testing instrument against the COVID-19 coronavirus infection which is reportedly very fast in testing positive or negative for an estimated 5,000 or less audience. The ticket prices including a PCR test are as follows: $950, $474, $190 and $142 (general admission).

Only a problem is that on the same night this Thursday there will be a highly anticipated Japanese featherweight title bout between defending champ WBC#8 Ryo Sagawa (10-1, 5 KOs) and JBC#1 Hinata Maruta (10-1-1, 8 KOs) at the Korakuen Hall, Tokyo. The charity event will start at 4:30 PM and the audience will move to the Hall afterward so that they will be able to watch the Sagawa-Maruta title go, hopefully.

[Thomastearns]

A PCR test included??

Unbelievable.

The things people will do for money.

Careful with that swab, Eugene!

[NoScoutingReports]

Not your average 'exhibition' the pair of them were absolutely teeing off, no headgear either!

[Boxing Prospect]

Not your average 'exhibition' the pair of them were absolutely teeing off, no headgear either!

They did have head gear for the first 2 rounds

[NoScoutingReports]

Not your average 'exhibition' the pair of them were absolutely teeing off, no headgear either!

They did have head gear for the first 2 rounds

I only saw a single round on Twitter without any on mate, fair enough. Was a good watch.