Nonito Donaire Jr., the 43-year-old “Filipino Flash,” suffered an eighth-round technical knockout loss to Riku Masuda in their WBA bantamweight title eliminator fight at Yokohama Buntai on March 15.
Despite his experience and determination, Donaire was overwhelmed by the younger Masuda, who had already scored a knockdown in the seventh round.
Donaire’s corner stopped the fight with 1:12 left in the eighth, following a deep cut above his right eye from a sixth-round headbutt.
Masuda’s victory sets him up for another shot at WBA bantamweight champion Seiya Tsutsumi, improving his record to 11-1.
The loss dropped Donaire’s professional record to 43 wins and 10 defeats, signaling a possible twilight in his storied career.
Source: PhilNews24 | March 16, 2026
DONAIRE’S FIGHT ENDS IN 8TH-ROUND TKO LOSS TO MASUDA
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