Four weight division world champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire recently fought undefeated Japanese puncher Naoya Inoue in Japan in the World Boxing Super Series bantamweight finals and lost in a valiant effort.
The fight was also a title unification with Donaire putting his WBA belt on the line and Inoue his IBF title.
The fight was a back and forth battle between veteran and young lion. Donaire at the age of 36 was expected to get blown out by the 26-year-old knockout artist but the fight went to the cards with the older champion putting on a very brave performance in a grueling back and forth tactical war.
One of Nonito’s biggest fans is his former trainer Robert Garcia who told boxing reporter ESNEWS nothing but great things about the Filipino-American who was born in Bohol, Philippines but moved to San Leandro, California as a child.
Garcia said Nonito was a great person and a legend in and out of the boxing ring.
Despite Donaire’s accomplishments there was some disagreement on social media between fans saying he wasn’t a hall of fame fighter.
Garcia strongly disagreed with those fans who claimed that Nonito Donaire isn’t hall of fame worthy.
“He (Nonito) is a four division champion, eight time champion,” said Garcia. “He had some bad ass fights. Great wins against pound for pound fighters like Fernando Montiel and just this last one (with Naoya Inoue) was great even though he lost it was a great fight and performance. He is a hall of famer, he has to be.”
Garcia trained Donaire for nine pro fights and the duo won three weight division world championships together from 118, 122, and 126 pounds.
Garcia’s most memorable fight with Donaire was on February 19, 2011 when he knocked out Mexican WBC/WBO bantamweight world champion Fernando Montiel in two rounds with a vicious left hook knockout.
