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
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.
Inoue vs Donaire 2
Hiraoka retains his Japanese super-lightweight title with this win, which improves his professional record to 20-0 (15 KOs).
Inoue vs Donaire 2
Andy Hiraoka def. Shun Akaiwa via sixth-round TKO (1:32).
Inoue vs Donaire 2
Hiraoka vs Akaiwa – Round 6
Akaiwa backs up Hiraoka but misses with a series of jabs, before Hiraoka punishes him with a harsh right counter!
Now Hiraoka starts pouring on spiteful punches as Akaiwa instinctively switches back to orthodox...
And the referee steps in to wave this one off! No defence from Akaiwa, and Hiraoka secures the TKO!
Inoue vs Donaire 2
Hiraoka vs Akaiwa – Round 5
Akaiwa comes out in a southpaw stance for this fifth round.
He marches forward and gradually increases the volume of his output, although there’s not much power in these shots.
Hiraoka then fires back and shows his strength advantage. Unfortunately for Akaiwa, one of those heavy shots lands below his belt.
The referee warns Hiraoka, and the action soon resumes.
Akaiwa gets Hiraoka’s attention with a crisp shot, and his opponent jogs away. He definitely felt that one.
Could that southpaw switch from Akaiwa prove the difference-maker for the second half of this bout? We’ll find out.
Inoue vs Donaire 2
Hiraoka vs Akaiwa – Round 4
Hiraoka is really loading up on his punches now, but the power is coming at the expense of accuracy.
Inoue vs Donaire 2
Hiraoka vs Akaiwa – Round 3
Right overhand then left hook to the body from Hiraoka. He’s moving around with his hands down...
Akaiwa backs him into the corner but is struggling for accuracy.
Hiraoka with a forceful, short left hand, which Akaiwa takes on the gloves.
Akaiwa comes forward and finds himself on the wrong end of a wide right hook from Hiraoka.
Again Akaiwa backs Hiraoka into the corner, but again he can’t connect with anything meaningful.
A little more showmanship from Hiraoka at the very end of the round after evading Akaiwa’s offence.
Inoue vs Donaire 2
Hiraoka vs Akaiwa – Round 2
The super-lightweights duck their heads and trade punches in close. It’s Hiraoka with the heavier shots, but Akaiwa lands a clean right hand on the break; it appears to stagger Hiraoka somewhat!
Now Akaiwa backs up Hiraoka and connects with a right straight! Brutal right uppercut from Hiraoka after the pair separate, though!
Akaiwa seems to be struggling a bit with Hiraoka’s southpaw stance, but he stings his opponent late in the round!
Hiraoka feigns some wobbly legs to show that he’s not too hurt...
Inoue vs Donaire 2
Hiraoka vs Akaiwa – Round 1
Down goes Akaiwa halfway through the first round after a heavy left uppercut from Hiraoka!
It’s somewhat of a flash knockdown, though, and Akaiwa manages to recover fairly well...
Hiraoka is grinning in his corner at the end of the round.
Inoue vs Donaire 2
Next up, it’s Andy Hiraoka defending his Japanese super-lightweight title against Shun Akaiwa.
Inoue vs Donaire 2
Takuma Inoue def. Gakuya Furuhashi via unanimous decision (119-109, 120-108, 120-108)!
The right result, but a great effort from both men.
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