Inoue vs Donaire 2 LIVE: Result and reaction after Inoue lands huge knockout

Follow reaction after Inoue claims three world titles with a second-round KO in the bantamweight rematch

2019: Naoya Inoue beats Nonito Donaire to win World Boxing Super Series bantamweight final

Naoya Inoue stopped Nonito Donaire midway through the second round on Tuesday night to emphatically win their rematch and unify three bantamweight world titles. 

Inoue (23-0, 20 KOs) wasted no time in his second meeting with Donaire, knocking down the veteran champion at the end of the first round and again midway through the second. Inoue’s relentless pressure and power ended the fight at 1:24 in Saitama Super Arena outside Tokyo. He adds Donaire’s WBC belt to his own WBA and IBF straps with his fourth consecutive stoppage victory. The Japanese star is considered one of the world’s top pound-for-pound talents and now hopes to unify all four major bantamweight titles if he can land a fight with WBO bantamweight champ Paul Butler later this year. 

Inoue abruptly dropped Donaire with a short right hand moments before the bell to end the first round. Donaire got up comfortably, but Inoue piled on the pressure in the second round and hurt his opponent with a series of accurate shots. After a short left hand put Donaire on wobbly legs in the center of the ring early in the second round, Inoue finished him in the corner with a right-left combination that dropped Donaire to his back on the canvas. 

Naoya Inoue vs Nonito Donaire

• Inoue knocks out Donaire in Round 2 at Japan’s Saitama Super Arena
• Japanese adds WBC belt to his IBF and WBA Super titles with the win
• Inoue outpointed Filipino Donaire in pair’s first fight, in 2019

[7 June 2022 13:25 · Alex Pattle]

Inoue vs Donaire 2

Round 2

A left hook hurts Donaire badly! Could that be the beginning of the end for the WBC champion?

Inoue pours on punches, Donaire staggers dramatically but stays on his feet...

AND IT’S ALL OVER! Another left hook puts down Donaire again. That’s why they call Inoue “Monster”.

Wow.

[7 June 2022 13:23 · Alex Pattle]

Inoue vs Donaire 2

Round 1

Harsh, lunging left hook from Donaire at once!

He steps back swiftly to evade a short left hook attempt by Inoue. The Japanese shows off some sharp footwork of his own to avoid some jabs.

Now the pair trade left hooks. Donaire digs one into the body, too.

A heavy jab connects for Inoue, before he misses with two wide left hook attempts.

NOW DOWN GOES DONAIRE WITH SECONDS LEFT ON THE CLOCK! It’s a short right straight that does it!

Donaire makes the count and will make it into Round 2...

[7 June 2022 13:18 · Alex Pattle]

Inoue vs Donaire 2

Here we go! The main event is under way!

[7 June 2022 13:17 · Alex Pattle]

Inoue vs Donaire 2

Japan’s national anthem follows.

Now, time for the fighter introductions...

[7 June 2022 13:12 · Alex Pattle]

Inoue vs Donaire 2

Both men are in the ring. The Philippines’ national anthem rings out first.

[7 June 2022 13:09 · Alex Pattle]

Inoue vs Donaire 2

Now here comes Donaire...

[7 June 2022 13:09 · Alex Pattle]

Inoue vs Donaire 2

A captivating entrance for Inoue, who makes his way out as a guitarist plays a searing solo in the centre of the ring.

[7 June 2022 13:01 · Alex Pattle]

Inoue vs Donaire 2

Veteran Donaire (42-6, 28 knockouts) will also put his WBC title on the line here, having claimed the belt in his next fight after his defeat by Inoue.

The Filipino, 39, responded to his loss to the Japense by knocking out Nordie Oubaali last May, then retained the gold with a stoppage of Reymart Gaballo in December. Both victories came in the fourth round.

Meanwhile, Inoue (22-0, 19 KOs) has fought three times since beating Donaire, winning each of those bouts via knockout to remain unbeaten.

The 29-year-old first saw off Jason Moloney in October 2020 with a seventh-round stoppage, then required just three rounds to defeat Michael Dasmarinas last June. Most recently, Inoue stopped Aran Dipaen in December, securing the win in the eighth round.

[7 June 2022 12:54 · Alex Pattle]

Inoue vs Donaire 2

In November 2019, Naoya Inoue and Nonito Donaire squared off in a hard-hitting bantamweight title fight at the Saitama Super Arena in Japan.

Home favourite Inoue retained his IBF and WBA Super belts with a unanimous-decision win over 12 rounds, and now the pair return to the site of that scintillating clash for a main-event rematch with the straps on the line once again.

It’s moments away.

[7 June 2022 12:36 · Alex Pattle]

Inoue vs Donaire 2

Next up, it’s the main event: Naoya Inoue vs Nonito Donaire 2, with the IBF, WBA Super and WBC bantamweight titles on the line...