Nonito Donaire’s Four-Division Career Included
Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire won the WBC bantamweight championship by stopping Nordine Oubaali in Carson, California, on May 29, 2021. At thirty-eight, he broke his own record as the oldest boxer to win a bantamweight world title.
Championships across the divisions
The Filipino-American boxer won full world championships at flyweight, bantamweight, super bantamweight and featherweight. His championship record also includes an interim super flyweight title.
Those achievements brought him recognition as a four-division world champion before he returned to challenge Oubaali at Dignity Health Sports Park.
The Oubaali victory
Donaire knocked Oubaali down twice in the third round. In the fourth, a left uppercut produced the third knockdown and ended the contest at 1:52.
The victory came after an eighteen-month absence following Donaire’s defeat to Naoya Inoue. It made Donaire a bantamweight world champion for the third time and extended a career already marked by championships across several weight classes.
Donaire’s counter left hook played a central role in breaking through Oubaali’s defense. Afterward, he credited the time away from competition with helping him study opponents and improve mentally. He also identified an undisputed championship and another meeting with Inoue as goals. The win improved his record to forty-one victories and six defeats, with twenty-seven knockouts.
Sources
- World Boxing Organization: Donaire’s four full championship divisions and interim title
- Premier Boxing Champions / Joseph Santoliquito: Donaire’s Oubaali knockout and age record
