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Donaire: Age is just a number

Sports | Boxing

Donaire: Age is just a number

By Carlo Anolin

WBC bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire (AFP)

For Nonito Donaire, age is indeed just a number.

This as the four-division world boxing champion stunned Frenchman Nordine Oubaali in the fourth round to reclaim the WBC bantamweight title at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California on Sunday (Manila time).

Shortly after his historic win, Donaire, 38, took to social media to thank a bunch of individuals and groups who supported him to reignite his title run.

"Age is a number," concluded Donaire on his Twitter thread, which he also posted on Instagram. "An 80-year-old can be in a wheelchair or can be running marathons. HEALTH is WEALTH. PERIOD... and the story continues."

Donaire, who first captured the WBC and WBO bantamweight titles against Mexican Fernando Montiel of Mexico, has been vocal about maintaining a healthy lifestyle and rock-solid mindset amid the COVID-19 pandemic and these efforts came into fruition against the 34-year-old Oubaali.

The "Filipino Flash" only needed four rounds to chalk up the first loss of Oubaali's boxing career. Donaire improved to a 41-6 record on top of 27 knockouts while the Frenchman of Moroccan descent has a 17-1 slate with 12 KOs.

"I believe that the human body is an incredible machine, an incredible thing if we take care of it... Taking care of our body allows us to be as strong as it can be because mentally we are only as strong as our mind can be," said the new WBC bantamweight champion post-match.

READ: After Oubaali, Donaire targets Inoue rematch

Donaire, who became the oldest bantamweight champion, also thanked his wife Rachel for being his "voice" on the sidelines.

"Lastly, to my wife, Rachel. You are the head trainer, you are the strength trainer, you are strategy, you are my voice my everything. We did it, my queen."

Related Tags

Nonito Donaire Nordine Oubaali

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