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 11:04 · Alex Pattle]

Inoue vs Donaire 2

T Inoue vs Furuhashi – Round 2

Heavy right hook from T Inoue, who follows up with a powerful left hook! Good start to the round for the younger brother of Naoya Inoue.

Furuhashi comes forward but steps onto a jab, before the super-bantamweights clinch briefly again.

Right uppercut, left hook combination from T Inoue! It’s partly blocked but is still effective. So much speed on display.

[7 June 2022 11:00 · Alex Pattle]

Inoue vs Donaire 2

T Inoue vs Furuhashi – Round 1

T Inoue with a nice uppercut counter with his back against the ropes.

Now a lead left uppercut into a left hook – lovely work.

Furuhashi presses forward, again backing T Inoue up against the ropes, and flicks out a flurry of shots!

He starts with jabs then releases a variety of shots to T Inoue’s body.

The pair clinch but are soon separated. Furuhashi steps in for a heavy jab but misses the mark.

Inoue slips another shot and grazes Furuhashi with a right hand.

[7 June 2022 10:50 · Alex Pattle]

Inoue vs Donaire 2

T Inoue is 15-1 (3 KOs), while Furuhashi is 28-8-2 (16 KOs).

At 26, T Inoue is eight years Furuhashi’s junior.

[7 June 2022 10:49 · Alex Pattle]

Inoue vs Donaire 2

The card will kick off with Takuma Inoue vs Gakuya Furuhashi.

T Inoue’s WBO Asia Pacific super-bantamweight title is on the line, as is Furuhashi’s Japanese title.

T Inoue is the younger brother of Naoya Inoue.

[7 June 2022 10:41 · Alex Pattle]

Inoue vs Donaire 2

The first fight of the day will get under way shortly!

[7 June 2022 10:30 · Alex Pattle]

Inoue vs Donaire 2

Inoue features on The Independent’s list of the pound-for-pound best men’s boxers in the world. Here’s what we had to say about him:

One of the lesser-known names on this list to the more casual fan, the Japanese does not lack in prowess what he may lack in profile.

Inoue has the best stoppage percentage of any fighter on this list, part of what makes him such an exciting fighter to watch – along with his effortless evasiveness, brutal body attacks, and frightening level of output.

At 29, the WBA and IBF bantamweight champion – who has also held titles in two other weight classes – has plenty left ahead of him.

But where does Inoue rank in our top 10? Find out here:

[7 June 2022 10:15 · Alex Pattle]

Inoue vs Donaire 2

Here is the full card for today’s event, as listed at the time of writing:

Naoya Inoue vs Nonito Donaire 2 (for Inoue’s IBF and WBA Super bantamweight titles; Donaire’s WBC title)

Takuma Inoue vs Gakuya Furuhashi (for Inoue’s WBO Asia Pacific super-bantamweight title; Furuhashi’s Japanese title)

Andy Hiraoka (C) vs Shun Akaiwa (Japanese super-lightweight title)

Toshiya Ishii vs Hikaru Fukunaga (super-bantamweight)

Kanamu Sakama vs Fuki Ishigaki (light-flyweight)

Minori Okamura vs Kota Matsuno (welterweight)

Chihiro Iwashita vs Seiru Yamana (super-featherweight)

[7 June 2022 10:01 · Alex Pattle]

Inoue vs Donaire 2

When does Inoue vs Donaire 2 start?

The main card will begin at 10.30am BST (2.30am PT, 4.30am CT, 5.30am ET) today.

Ring walks for the main event are expected at around 12.30pm BST (4.30am PT, 6.30am CT, 7.30am ET).

Here’s all you need to know:

[7 June 2022 09:46 · Alex Pattle]

Inoue vs Donaire 2

How can I watch Inoue vs Donaire 2?

In the UK, the fights will be streamed live for free on Top Rank’s official YouTube channel.

In the US, ESPN+ will air the fights live, while Amazon Prime will provide live coverage in Japan.

The Independent will also be providing round-by-round live updates right here.

Here’s all you need to know:

[7 June 2022 09:29 · 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.

Veteran Donaire (42-6, 28 knockouts) will also put his WBC title on the line, 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.