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Naoya Inoue vs. Nonito Donaire was a poetic occasion. It was early November in Saitama, Japan. A warm wind was in the air even though winter was creeping near. Inoue, the rising star, and Donaire, the hardened veteran, stepped into the ring for the final of the bantamweight World Boxing Super Series.
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What followed was one of the great fights in contemporary boxing. Ten years separated the two men, but there was rarely more than five feet between them in the ring throughout the contest. The fight was a crafty display of technical excellence, which only increased in intensity as the rounds progressed.
The younger fighter was quicker to the punch and slicker with his footwork. Yet, the older boxer was intelligent, relentless, and determined. His body work was effective and calculated. In the 11th round, a return body shot from Inoue sent Donaire to the canvas and seemed likely to end the fight. However, the veteran weathered the storm and came back out on the front foot for the final round.
When the verdict was announced, the Japanese star was declared the unanimous winner with scores of 117-109, 116-111 and 114-113.
Naoya Inoue vs. Nonito Donaire will go down as one of the great fights of modern boxing. The two men are both favorites among the so-called 'hardcore' fans. Now, three years down the line, the highly anticipated rematch is just around the corner.
Check out the full fight between Naoya Inoue and Nonito Donaire here:
Naoya Inoue vs. Nonito Donaire 2
Naoya Inoue vs. Nonito Donaire 2 will take place on June 7, 2022 in Saitama, Japan. Inoue is now 29 years old and Donaire is 39. The Japanese fighter has a record of 22-0 with 19 knockouts and 'The Filipino Flash' has a record of 42-6 with 28 knockouts.
Between 2007 and 2013, Nonito Donaire won eight different world titles. In 2013, he stepped into the ring with amateur Cuban legend Guillermo Rigondeaux, who put on a crafty technical performance to dethrone the super bantamweight king. In the years since, the Filipino great has clashed with the likes of Carl Frampton, Nicholas Walters, Jessie Magdaleno, and Ryan Burnett.
Naoya Inoue turned professional in 2012 and won eight of his first 10 fights by knockout or stoppage. He claimed the WBC Light Flyweight Title from Adrian Hernandez in 2014 and the WBO Junior Bantamweight Title from Omar Narvaez later that year.
He defended the junior bantamweight title seven times and then won the WBA (Regular) Bantamweight Title in 2018. He currently holds the WBA (Super), IBF, and The Ring Bantamweight belts.
Naoya Inoue vs. Nonito Donaire 2 is likely to be another technical and tactical fight. However, it seems likely that 'The Monster' will stop Donaire this time around. That said, the Filipino great has proven critics wrong time and time again. He is one of the greatest boxers of the modern era and may well wade through the tide.
