Former World Boxing Council flyweight champion Daigo Higa of Ambition GYM has been engaged in an earnest training at a park in Yokohama, southwest of Tokyo, in preparation for the planned comeback fight around this October.

Under a watchful eye of trainer Joji Nogi, the 25-year-old Okinawan-born boxer practices by hitting the mitt, about eight-round a day of mass boxing, etc. in addition to various physical training at the park, which is free from COVID-19 or novel coronavirus.

Ninth-ranked Japanese featherweight Yoshimitsu Kimura and Ryoto Owan, who had also belonged to the now-defunct Shirai Gushiken Sports Gym just like Higa, join the training at the spacious park.

Higa moved up to the 118-pound bantamweight division after having failed to make the 112-pound flyweight weight limit in his third title defense against Cristofer Rosales of Nicaragua in April 2018.

Although Higa, who shares the Japanese record of 15 straight-knockout wins with two others, returned to the ring in February 2020 by stopping a Philippine boxer, he did not appear to be in a good shape both mentally and spiritually.

But, Nogi said, ‘’Higa’s condition now is recovering to a considering degree,’’ hinting at the selection of his suitable opponent around October. If Higa successfully clears the comeback bout, Nogi is hoping to have him face another opponent as early as in December.