Nonito Donaire: record, next fight and profile →
Emmanuel “Manny” Rodriguez feels fortunate to receive the opportunity that he will have on December 19, when he fights for the World Boxing Council (WBC) bantamweight world title against four division champion Nonito Donaire. These will face each other in the main event of a Showtime televised card, which takes place at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Unscaville, Connecticut.
World Boxing Council President Mauricio Sulaiman has issued an official order pertaining to the bantamweight division. WBC bantamweight champion Nordine Oubaali was scheduled to make a mandatory defense of his title on December 19, in a Shotwime televised main event against Nonito Donaire.
Nordine Oubaali has dropped out of a bantamweight world title defense against mandatory challenger and four-division champion Nonito Donaire because he is ill with Covid-19, not because he had issues securing a visa to travel from his native France to the United States as has been reported.
Nonito Donaire has a new opponent and a different date for his next fight. “The Filipino Flash” was supposed to challenge WBC bantamweight champ Nordine Oubaali on December 12 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. BoxingScene.com has learned that visa issues have prevented Oubaali from receiving clearance to travel from France to the United States, however, thus Donaire instead will meet Emmanuel Rodriguez in a main event Showtime will televise December 19 from Mohegan Sun Arena.
With his Las Vegas debut out of the way and ending in style, Naoya Inoue is ready to move on to more pressing matters in his already incredible career. The unbeaten three-division and reigning unified bantamweight titlist looked sensational in a one-sided 7th round knockout of perennial Top 5 contender Jason Moloney. Two knockdowns paved way for Inoue’s fourth stoppage win in five bantamweight fights, the latest of which took place Saturday evening on ESPN+ from The Bubble at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Naoya Inoue knew as early as the second round of their fight that he probably wouldn’t be able to knock out Nonito Donaire. That’s when Inoue realized that he had suffered a serious injury, which a doctor determined was a fractured orbital bone around his right eye. He had to protect the right side of his face, which made Inoue change his strategy.
When Nonito Donaire nailed Naoya Inoue with a right hand in the ninth round of their fantastic fight, Inoue needed to summon some more strength to get through the most troublesome moment of his career.
While Nonito Donaire will turn 38 on Nov. 16, “The Filipino Flash” still harbors boxing goals even though he is already a tremendously accomplished fighter with a Hall of Fame resume in his 19th year as a professional.
Top fighters and trainers shared their thoughts and gave predictions on the two main events headlining the blockbuster CHARLO DOUBLEHEADER this Saturday, September 26, live on SHOWTIME PPV (7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT) from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.
In an exclusive interview, Japanese superstar Naoya Inoue breaks down his incredible WBSS journey which saw him winning the Muhammad Ali Trophy and unifying the IBF & WBA titles after wins over Juan Carlos Payano, Emmanuel Rodriguez & Nonito Donaire.