What a knockout! As new World Boxing Council flyweight champion, Daigo Higa, was rapturously greeted as a hero in his native Okinawa, Japan.
Young undefeated Higa, a native of the city of Urasoe of the province of Okinawa, was crowned as the new WBC flyweight king by stopping Mexico's Juan "Churritos" Hernández in Tokyo on the 20th of May.
Thanks to this great victory, maintaining an unblemished record, he entered into the history of Japanese boxing as the first fighter of that country to conquer a world title with all 13 of his fights won by knockout.
Okinawa is home of great Japanese boxing figures, now including Higa, who is the eighth world champion born in this province. His manager is former world champion Yoko Gushiken, who is also from Okinawa, has certainly played a great role in his pupil-s phenomenal and hard hitting success.
IN OTHER NEWS: When Shinsuke Yamanaka started boxing, his dream was to become a world champion, and now the reality is consolidation through defences of his crown.
Yamanaka, the WBC bantamweight champion, will face young, hungry and ambitious challenger Luis Nery on August 15 at Shimadzu Arena in Kyoto, Japan.
The 34-year-old fighter, in his previous fight, defended his title by stopping Carlos Carlson with a seventh round TKO in Tokyo in March. That was the twelfth defense of his crown, the second longest streak ever by a Japanese champion.
Yamanaka will tie former WBA lightweight champion Yoko Gushiken in the streak of defenses in the event he defeats Nery.
"The only goal I had was to become a world champion. Things like breaking records and making history was not on my mind back then. I had never imagined this, and I am very proud of it. "
Yamanaka will have to stave off a very hard hitting opponent in the southpaw Nery, who also possesses stunning power.