Yoshiki Takei vs. Daigo Higa: Live round-by-round updates

The Yoshiki Takei vs. Daigo Higa round-by-round updates are here with real-time coverage and live scoring of the all-Japanese world title bout. The two men lock horns over 12, three-minute, rounds. The Sep. 3 main card begins at 5:45 AM E.T. (Eastern Time) / 2:45 AM P.T. (Pacific Time), opening with Takei vs. Higa.

The matchup is expected to produce fireworks, as Takei is a heavy-handed knockout artist in a vein similar to event headliner Naoya Inoue. Despite a relatively short 9-0 run in the sport, he has already knocked out eight of those nine foes, but he will be up against a similarly powerful opponent in Higa.

Higa, who is 21-2-1, has 19 knockouts on his résumé and will be eager to dethrone Takei as WBO bantamweight champion. However, such a task will be taller than any he has ever faced, especially with the moment Takei is carrying after recently capturing the belt from Jason Moloney.

Thus, the oddsmakers at DraftKings Sportsbook expect Takei to win as a -525 favorite, while Higa is a +360 underdog.

Follow Sportskeeda for play-by-play analysis and live scoring of the bantamweight bout.

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Yoshiki Takei vs. Daigo Higa

Round 1: Higa on the front foot, feinting and looking for openings. Takei, meanwhile, is hanging back, patiently waiting for an opportunity to counter. A pawing jab lands for Takei, but it's a slow start to the round. Higa finally opens up, lunging with a two-punch combination that misses the mark.

A very measured approach by both men though. Takei with some jabs that land on the gloves. A lead hook partially lands for Takei. Higa leaps in with a hook, landing. A difficult round to score as there was little action. 10-9 Higa

Round 2: Still a measured pace from both men, with the two trading pawing jabs. Takei lands a nice uppercut, but misses with an overhand right. Higa stuns Takei with a looping shot, but the champion clinches before breaking. Another looping shot partially lands for Higa.

A leaping left hook lands for Higa. Takei fires back with an uppercut. A jab lands for Takei. Another uppercut-overhand right combination lands for Takei. He's making Higa pay for fighting with such a low stance. A body shot lands for Takei. 10-9 Takei

Round 3: Jabs land for Takei. He comes up just short of landing an uppercut, but he's more aggressive now and finally lands his patented uppercut as Higa lunges into range. Another lunge from Higa, who gets countered hard by a right hand that briefly backs him up to the ropes.

Higa lands a right and left, but eats two shots from Takei in return. Higa tries to smother him, and the two engage in some dirty boxing, with Takei landing more uppercuts. A combination lands for Takei, who rocks Higa. 10-9 Takei

Round 4: Jabs for Takei, who gets backed into the ropes by Higa. Higa unloads, landing to the body and head as Takei tries to fire back before clinching to force a break. Takei lands a counter and Higa slips. Takei is trying to cut off Higa's angles of escape, stalking him.

Higa is swinging hard but wild, not landing anything for now. He returns to a jab and finally lands. Both men trying to measure each other and Takei lands a jab. Higa catches Takei with an overhand left. 10-9 Higa

Round 5: Takei pressuring Higa, lands a few shots but almost gets caught by two overhand lefts from Higa. They clinch and the referee breaks them up. Takei finds a home for his uppercuts again, but eats a jab from Higa. This is a very competitive fight. They clinch again, but the referee is quick to force a break.

A partial shot lands for Takei. Higa forces him onto the backfoot and just misses an overhand left. Takei partially lands an uppercut. 10-9 Higa

Round 6: Takei and Higa start the round darting in and out, before the champion slips. With both men back on their feet, Takei catches Higa with an uppercut, but Higa backs him up to the ropes, swinging and missing. Higa's pressure is successful, but he's not always landing when he throws.

An uppercut and right hand lands for Higa, who storms forward with his own shots, landing and backing Takei up. Higa lands to the body. More uppercuts from Takei, but Higa blasts him in the body and unleashes a brief combination. Takei gets some breathing room and lands as well.

He chases Higa own, but this is still a very close fight. 10-9 Higa

Round 7: Higa lunges forward and Takei clinches, forcing the referee to break them up. Takei lands an uppercut but eats a right hand. Takei with another uppercut, but eats a left hand this time. Higa with another left hand, which Takei answers in kind with his own.

Higa lands a jab, but eats an uppercut. Takei is pivoting out of exchanges. More uppercuts from Takei. The round ends with a jab from Takei and some taunting. 10-9 Takei

Round 8: Higa back on the pressure, eating more uppercuts from the champion. They clinch and the referee breaks them up. Takei lands a check hook. Higa storms forward and eats a counter. More clinching, but the referee is quick to break them up.

Higa throws caution to the wind, lunging forward with looping shots, backing Takei up. Takei counters him with a short inside uppercut. Higa swings and misses. Takei seems to have found his rhythm a little. 10-9 Takei

Round 9: Takei lands a combination, following up with an uppercut. However, Higa is still confident, bullying the champion to the ropes, where both men take turns exchanging. It's a brawl, but as they clinch, the referee breaks them up. Higa lands a quick left hand.

Another uppercut from Takei. Both men clinch and Takei slams Higa to the mat. It appeared to be accidental though. A jab and hook to the body lands for Takei. Higa snipes him with a left hand. 10-9 Takei

Round 10: Higa lunging forward, but gets countered by Takei's best punch, his uppercut. The champion lands a stinging combination that briefly froze Higa. A short hook lands for Takei on the inside. Hard jabs for Higa, who backs Takei up to the ropes to land some body shots.

A nice right hook lands for Higa. They clinch against the ropes, but Takei frees himself, finding a home for another uppercut. Higa ends the round with a combination. 10-9 Takei

Round 11: Higa appears to hurt Takei with a hard overhand. Takei is cut above the eye. Higa is also cut, as Takei fires back with a jab. An uppercut-right hook combination lands for Takei. More combinations from Takei, forcing Higa to clinch. They break, but clinch again.

After the referee separates them, Takei lands a combination, but Higa lands a hard right that appears to have sat Takei down. Takei, however, protests, claiming that it was a slip, and it was. The champion backs Higa up, landing some shots. 10-9 Higa

Round 12: Takei is trying to impose himself, fighting on the front foot as he blasts Higa with combinations against the ropes. He's not ltting Higa off the hook, and lands a hard uppercut that snaps Higa's head up. Higa looks hurt. He's in survival mode. Takei is stalking him, landing a nice short uppercut.

Higa is just trying to clinch. This is not a good for the challenger. Takei with a straight left. More combinations from Takei, who stumbles Higa. Takei with hard shots, he's not giving Higa any breathing room. Higa keeps clinching, but as they break, Takei swarms him, battering him.

More uppercuts for Takei. Higa doesn't want any part of him and ends the round eating shots. 10-8 Takei

Official Decision: Yoshiki Takei def. Daigo Higa via unanimous decision (115-112, 114-113)