In a shock that reverberated around the boxing community, #2 Cristofer Rosales (27-3, 18 KOs) was crowned the WBC flyweight champion with the ninth round stoppage of Daigo Higa (15-1, 15 KOs) on Sunday in Yokohama, Japan.

Higa had looked ripe for the picking from his inability to make weight, forfeiting his title and looking drained from trying to win the battle with the scales.

Rosales had talked about dethroning the champion in the run-up​ to the fight, setting about the task with a great offense, in particular, the uppercut that was finding its target with regularity.

Higa tried in vain to stem the tide by going to the body of Rosales in an obvious attempt to sap some of the energy from the energetic Nicaraguan but it proved ineffective.

Rosales whose last loss came at the hands of Wales’ Andrew Selby, was not to be denied, by the mid way point he was up on two of the three scorecards but wanted a more emphatic outcome which came in the ninth.

Rosales landed some hard combinations on Higa who was now retreating from the oncoming assault, so much so that his corner waved the white flag of surrender, crowning Rosales the new WBC Flyweight champion.