TOKYO - Rising star Riku Masuda defeated veteran compatriot Daigo Higa by split decision to capture the vacant WBA bantamweight "regular" world championship in Tokyo on Monday.
Coming in as the strong favorite, the 28-year-old Masuda was put to the test by 30-year-old former world champion Higa, who returned to the ring after announcing his retirement last July.
The all-Japanese showdown was the main event in a boxing world title tripleheader at Ryogoku Kokugikan arena.
Japan's Kenshiro Teraji earlier beat Mexico's Israel Gonzalez by unanimous decision to secure the vacant WBO super flyweight belt and become a three-weight world champion.
"I'm absolutely thrilled to hold a title again after a year," said the 34-year-old Teraji, who lost the WBC flyweight belt last July. "I went back to basics, focusing on my jab and keeping my opponent from finding his range."
In the night's first title match, Japan's Shokichi Iwata successfully defended his WBC light flyweight crown with an 11th-round technical knockout against Erik Badillo of Mexico.
