On Tuesday night, “The Filipino Flash” Nonito Donaire will step into the ring against “The Monster” Naoya Inoue in a highly anticipated rematch.
I watched the first fight that happened in 2019 and it was a brutal bout with both guys giving and taking. The heart the veteran Donaire showed amazed me, I’ve been watching him and his Filipino countryman Manny “Pac-Man” Pacquiao for years and they really have a warrior spirit that separates them from the rest.
Both Donaire and Pacquiao defied the odds and were able to compete with younger fighters in their later 30s, Donaire is on the cusp of 40 at the age of 38 he became the oldest Bantamweight champion when he knocked out Frenchman Nordine Oubaali in the fourth round to secure the WBC 118-pound belt.
Pacquiao became the oldest welterweight to win a world title when he beat Keith Thurman in 2019.
Tonight Donaire will try to be a unified champion at 118-pounds and go in against a man he faced before but this time he will now have the firsthand experience to adapt in the rematch.
Inoue is undefeated and one of the top 5 best pound for pound fighters in the world. He hits like a truck and is one of the most feared fighters in the world pound for pound.
What Donaire did was make Inoue look mortal, he gave the Japanese Monster his toughest task and even thought he was dropped by Inoue he went the full distance.
I have a feeling that Donaire is going to prevail on June 7, my gut is telling me that he will do what it takes to land the powerful left hook that has knocked out multiple foes in the past. Inoue will be very cautious because he knows what he is in against and knowing he couldn’t take Donaire out in the first fight he will try to play counter puncher and this will give Donaire his moments to capitalize on the lulls in the fight.
You can’t count the old lion out especially someone as crafty and smart as Donaire. I just see him adapting and learning from his first meeting with Inoue. Donaire tasted the power and knows what to expect and he knows he can hit Inoue, this will be another back and forth battle but I got Donaire by shocking KO in 7 rounds.
