After losing his bantamweight throne to Naoya Inoue in November 2019, Nonito Donaire set his mind to reclaim everything he lost that night. So, he took on a 17-0 undefeated Nordine Oubaali earlier this year. With a sharp knockout victory over Oubaali, ‘The Filipino Flash’ reentered the win column and secured the WBC title.

Now, the 39-year-old champion has done it again. He agreed to a matchup with yet another undefeated (24 wins) prospect, Reymart Gaballo, to defend his WBC belt. Just by signing onto this fight, it simply showed that he is determined to make his way back to the top.

There were similarities in the approaches used by both fighters; both Donaire and Gaballo preferred fighting from outside the pocket and used lead legs to land big and damaging overhand shots.

Despite the similarities, Donaire could still walk his opponent down, use his lead leg to control Gaballo’s movements, dodge big shots, create distance while switching between a high guard and a Philly shell, and also knew how to sneak right into the pocket to attack from the inside. Moreover, Donaire’s counter-punching abilities seemed superior in comparison.

There was a clear gap in the experience factor between both fighters; Nonito Donaire proved that by dropping Gaballo in round 4 by landing a left hook right into his liver. After the bout ended with a knockout in the fourth, judges scored just round 2 in favor of Gaballo and gave round 1 and 3 to Donaire.

Fans have a lot of respect for Nonito Donaire

Winning titles is hard by itself, but winning and defending against some of the best in class at the age of 39 is a much bigger feat. Nonito Donaire showed class, style, and put up an entertaining fight. This 4-round clash was definitely a treat for the staunchest fans, loyalists, and purists of the sport.

After fighting nonstop for over two decades straight, securing 42 wins and 6 losses, ‘The Filipino Flash’ is not only a veteran of the sport but can easily be considered one of the greatest of all time.

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After knocking out Reymart Gaballo in round 4, fans showed Donaire respect on social media –

Fans now feel that Nonito Donaire will now move forward with another shot at Naoya Inoue in 2022.

Would you like to see the two champions run it back? If they agree to a rematch, how do you see that mega bantamweight clash playing out?

Also Read: Nonito Donaire vs. Manny Pacquiao Net Worth Comparison: Who Is Richer?