Seiya Tsutsumi Still Injured, Bout With Vargas Cancelled
- Matthew Brown
- 2 minutes ago
- 2 min read
03/08/2026
One of the strangest title reigns in recent memory has taken another setback.
The bout between WBA Bantamweight Champion Seiya Tsutsumi and champion-in-recess Antonio Vargas has been cancelled after it was determined that Tsutsumi has not fully healed from a facial fracture suffered in his December bout against Nonito Donaire, sources tell Brunch Boxing.
Though not officially announced, sources tell Brunch Boxing that internally it was understood by both teams that the bout between Tsutsumi and Vargas was slated to take place on the April 11, Teiken Promotions event headlined by Tenshin Nasukawa vs. Juan Francisco Estrada.
The unbeaten Japanese star Tsutsumi had been designated champion-in-recess by the WBA in May 2025 after it was determined that recent eye surgery would sideline him for an indefinite period. As a result, interim WBA Bantamweight Champion Vargas was elevated to full titleholder status.
Tsutsumi had been slated to face Vargas upon Tsutsumi’s return in December 2025. However, Vargas was forced to withdraw from the planned matchup following the passing of his mother, who had battled cancer for five years. Vargas was then named champion-in-recess, and Tsutsumi was promoted to full champion.
Instead, Tsutsumi went on to the aforementioned bout against Filipino legend Nonito Donaire, with the winner mandated to face Vargas within 120 days. In a highly competitive bout, Tsutsumi walked away with his title via a controversial split decision victory, but he also left the bout with facial fractures that required surgery and extended time out of the ring.
Donaire petitioned the WBA for an immediate title shot between himself and Vargas, with Donaire’s manager Rachel Donaire saying at the time, “There’s no way that Tsutsumi will be able to make that mandate.”
Now it seems those concerns have come to fruition.
However, with Donaire already scheduled to have a bout this week against Riku Masuda, Vargas is left on the shelf for the foreseeable future.
Team Vargas is expected to petition the WBA to have Vargas once again elevated to full champion so that he can move forward with his career.
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