WBA bantamweight world champion Seiya Tsutsumi is set to make the first defense of his title on Monday, February 24, when he takes on former world champion Daigo Higa at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo.

Tsutsumi, undefeated in 14 fights (12-0-2, 8 KOs), has shown he possesses both skill and stopping power, with a 57% knockout ratio. The 118-pound champion claimed the belt last October, scoring a unanimous decision victory over Takuma Inoue, the younger brother of WBA superstar Naoya Inoue.

Now, in his first defense, Tsutsumi faces a battle-tested challenger in Higa, a former world champion with nearly twice as many fights as the reigning titleholder. Higa brings a dangerous mix of experience and knockout power—with 19 KOs in his 21 career wins.

However, the challenger enters this bout looking to bounce back from a unanimous decision loss to Yoshiki Takei, a fight that also took place at Ariake Arena.

With Higa’s proven punching power and championship pedigree, this will be a serious test for Tsutsumi in his quest to establish himself as the man to beat at 118 pounds.