At A Glance
- The 'Filipino Flash', even with the fire to continue fighting still burning, was simply not the same anymore as he suffered an eighth round technical knockout loss against Riku Masuda in their World Boxing Association bantamweight title eliminator fight at the Yokohama Buntai on Sunday, March 15.
It seemed like Nonito Donaire Jr has finally reached the twilight of his career.
The ‘Filipino Flash’, even with the fire to continue fighting still burning, was simply not the same anymore as he suffered an eighth round technical knockout loss against Riku Masuda in their World Boxing Association bantamweight title eliminator fight at the Yokohama Buntai on Sunday, March 15.
The 43-year-old Filipino fighter tried to hold his ground against the younger and dangerous Masuda but the Japanese just proved to be too much as Donaire’s corner threw in the towel with 1:12 left in the eighth round.
The decision was understandable for Donaire’s camp, especially with the veteran already covered with blood dripping from a cut above his right eye due to a headbutt in the sixth round.
Masuda then caught Donaire with a booming left straight that knocked down the former four-division champion in the seventh before going for the kill on the next round to convince the corner of the Filipino to halt the bout.
With the win, Masuda earned another shot at WBA bantamweight champion and compatriot Seiya Tsutsumi who put the lone blemish to his new record of 11 wins against a loss.
Donaire, on the other hand, fell to a 43-10 record.