Naoya Inoue has maintained his unified bantamweight titles, and his undefeated record, with a much more convincing second round win over Nonito Donaire in Japan this afternoon.
The boxers met in the exact same venue; the Saitama Super Arena, back in 2019, having one of the fights of the year in the World Boxing Super Series final. And after Donaire managed to pick up the WBC belt, the pair were matched up again this afternoon in what was a very similar environment to the first bout.
Tens of thousands were in attendance for the highly-anticipated rematch, which featured a beloved home fighter in Inoue. The normally quietly confident unified champion, made his walk in bombastic fashion, with legendary Japanese guitarist Tomoyasu Hotei playing him into the ring.
Donaire's entrance for his 22nd world title fight was intense, if a little more understated, with both men brandishing world title belts similarly to their first meeting.
The 10-year age gap was a point of discussion before both bouts, and within just a round the younger Inoue had dropped his 39-year-old rival with a vicious right hand. The pair had been feeling one another out as opposed to treating it as 'round 13', but the pound-for-pound great opted to sit down on his punch towards the final seconds.
By the second, Inoue had taken complete control of proceedings, and wobbled Donaire after landing at will early in the round, eventually putting down Donaire. The fight was called off within just seconds of the round, with Inoue unifying yet another bantamweight belt.
"Two years and seven months ago I fought against Nonito Donaire in the WBSS final here at the same venue," Inoue said after the fight. "You gave me the power, thank you.
"In the very first round I received a left hook from Nonito and that punch made me wake up and stay focused, throughout the fight. The last right straight, I didn't know it was a great one but I saw the video and I knew this is going to be the one.
"I didn't know the specific round, but to be able to reach my status up at the top I needed to win this fight so I decided to finish it at this moment. This fight was magic for myself as well, I pressured myself and I did it."
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He thanked Donaire for his involvement in both of their contests, particularly praising his ability to claw his way back to another world title after losing their first meeting. The 39-year-old may now be contemplating retirement, having already had a legendary career in the sport.
"Without Nonito I can't do this," Inoue continued. "Two years after the final of the WBSS he won the WBC belt and came back to fight against me. That's why I could be here and shine like this. Thank you Nonito, so much, for everything."
He is now eyeing up an undisputed fight with WBO champion Paul Butler, and if that is unable to happen, a move up to super-bantamweight where Inoue would be challenging the likes of Stephen Fulton and Murodjon Akhmadaliev for gold in another division which could be unified within just a few fights.
"My dream is to be the undisputed champion," he explained. "If I can do that within 2022 then I will stay in this division. If I can't, I am capable of moving up and fighting in a higher division. Thank you so much everybody for coming to the arena for the fight, thank you so much for everything."
