Japanese fighter Naoya Inoue triumphed over the ‘Filipino Flash,’ Nonito Donaire, Jr., via unanimous decision last Thursday in their bantamweight unification title fight at the Saitama Super Arena in Japan. The belt was comprised of both the World Boxing Association super world bantamweight and International Boxing Federation world bantamweight belts.
The bout served as the culminating event for the World Boxing Super Series.
While Donaire was the aggressor in the first four rounds, even opening a cut over Inoue’s right eye making his nose bleed, his opponent went on to dominate the next four rounds. The Filipino fighter managed to regain his form in the eighth and ninth rounds as he caused Inoue to stagger but, in the 11th round, the Japanese fighter floored the Pinoy boxer with a left hook to the midsection.
In the 12th, Donaire made his final push but it was not enough as the judges ruled in favor of Inoue, 114-113, 116-111, and 117-110.
The Filipino fighter walks away with a 40-6-0 win-loss-draw record, including 26 stoppage wins, while the champion upped his unbeaten slate yo 19-0-0 card with 16 wins by knockout./ASC, WDJ