Fight Report: Naoya Inoue vs. Nonito Donaire II

An edited version of this article was published on TheFightCity.com on June 7th, 2022: https://www.thefightcity.com/fight-report-inoue-vs-donaire-ii-boxing/

Recent months have seen the debate over boxing’s pound-for-pound best blown wide open. Whatever your opinion on the value of such lists, the fact that a good case can be made for several fighters to occupy the top spot of the rankings is surely a testament to the current health of the sport. And one thing is for certain: any discussion of boxing’s elite that does not include Naoya Inoue should not be taken seriously.

In a ruthless display of pure punching, the Japanese sensation dispatched veteran champion Nonito Donaire inside two clinical rounds, cementing his position as the world’s premier bantamweight (118lbs). Already a titlist in his third weight division, and sporting a record of 20 KOs in 23 fights, Inoue has never looked better.

A previous meeting between the pair in 2019 produced a fight of the year classic, with Donaire extending Inoue the 12-round championship distance in a gruelling battle. On that night, fighting for the World Boxing Super Series Muhammad Ali Trophy, Inoue was forced to show a solid chin and plenty of heart to go with his precision punching and brutal body attack. He passed the test with flying colours, but “The Filipino Flash” had his moments and earned huge respect in defeat, not least from his bloodied opponent.

In the intervening two and a half years, Donaire – incredibly, at 38 years of age – had picked up yet another world title to add to his huge trophy cabinet, scoring two emphatic knockout wins in the process, and proving the old adage that the last thing a great fighter loses is his punch. Despite his activity level being similarly hampered by the global pandemic, Inoue also racked up three straight KOs to set up this triple unification rematch. Entering the ring at 39, it was no surprise that Donaire came in as a significant underdog. But even so, the ice-cold manner with which Inoue ended proceedings was a sight to behold.

Donaire, the WBC champ, signalled his own intent early on, firing a signature left hook just seconds into the opening session. Both men showed a healthy respect for the other’s power as the round progressed; Donaire pressing steadily forward and Inoue scoring with some snappy jabs. A couple of quick left hook counters from the Japanese WBA and IBF champion hinted at the impending danger, but the damage was still shocking when it came.

With about 40 seconds left on the clock, Donaire countered a jab with a hard right hand, and the action began to heat up as they exchanged left hooks. Never one to back down from a shootout, Nonito continued to press as both men searched for openings. A sharp one-two forced Donaire back to the ropes momentarily, and the Filipino pushed back, avoiding two big left hooks at close quarters. But just as he prepared to fire back with his right hand, he loaded up ever so slightly, and before he knew it Inoue had exploded with a lightning fast, chopping right that dropped him onto the seat of his pants.

Donaire rose almost immediately and held up his gloves, though his legs didn’t look entirely stable. “He’s hurt bad now, Bernardo,” noted former champ Andre Ward, in commentary. Fortunately for Donaire, the bell went just as the referee waved them back into action, and he made it back to his corner for a much-needed minute’s respite. More ominously for Donaire, as the ref had issued his mandatory count, it was clear from the way Inoue waited so eagerly to pounce that he was in no mood to let his wounded prey off the hook.

“The Filipino Flash” did well to recover during the interval, and even crashed home a heavy left hook 15 seconds into the round. The punch only seemed to anger Inoue and make him more determined though, as he shot back with his own hard left hooks. Donaire tried to punch with him but was immediately caught with another quick counter that rocked him backwards and drew an expectant roar from the Saitama crowd. With “The Monster” smelling blood, he let both hands go, a beautiful left uppercut at the end of a rapid fire left-right-left combo snapping Donaire’s head back.

Ever the warrior and always carrying full belief in his own power, Donaire tried to fight fire with fire, to no avail. A clean left hook took the Filipino’s right leg from under him, and Inoue went in for the kill. Mixing in left hooks to the body with hard one-twos upstairs, Inoue showed his characteristic blend of poise and precision power punching. The Japanese star is a devastating finisher and simply a joy to watch when he is in full flow.

Another blistering right hand connected, and before a dazed Donaire had chance to gather his senses in the corner of the ring, a blazing right hand-left hook combination landed flush and knocked him off his feet onto his back, alongside the ropes. Gallantly, the old champion picked himself up in an effort to go on, but the referee crossed his arms before Donaire had even made it to his feet, as Inoue clambered the opposite ring post in celebration.

If this is to be Donaire’s final outing, he can retire a proud champion and a guaranteed first-ballot Hall of Famer. It’s incredible to think it was 15 years ago that the Filipino legend burst onto the world scene with a crushing knockout of Vic Darchinyan. The fact he was able to secure world honours from flyweight to featherweight and then return to bantamweight to recapture a title this late in his career, not to mention being a worthy opponent of one of the most dynamic punchers in the sport, is a fitting end to a fantastic legacy. 

Boxing seems to be raining undisputed champions at the moment, and Inoue is now only one belt away from accomplishing that feat. Post-fight, he expressed his desire to unify, but also his willingness to move up another weight. It goes without saying that an undisputed clash versus new WBO champion, Paul Butler, would be a daunting prospect for the recently crowned Brit, but it would be an absolutely massive fight whether staged in the UK or Japan.

In some ways it’s a shame, given the elite names operating a division below at 115lbs, that Inoue did not fully clean out that division before moving on. Already unquestionably one of the best fighters alive, it’s almost frightening to think how good his record could have looked, with added names such as Chocolatito, Estrada or Sor Rungvisai to his ledger. Having now fought only four times in the past two and a half years, Top Rank need to move sooner rather than later to make the best fights possible; it would be simply criminal to waste any more time with such a sublime talent.

With undisputed status beckoning and potential mouth-watering clashes against the likes of Stephen Fulton up at 122lbs, and with Inoue’s skills looking sharper than ever, there’s no telling how high “The Monster’s” ceiling might be.