Masuda Stops Donaire In WBA Eliminator For #1

By Joe Koizumi

Photos by Naoki Fukuda (to come soon)

In a WBA bantamweight eliminator for #1, Japanese southpaw WBA#4 Riku Masuda (10-1, 9 KOs), 117.75, dropped WBA#1 “Filipino Flash” Nonito Donaire (43-10, 28 KOs), 117.75, in round seven and halted him with a towel fluttering in at 1:12 of the eighth round on Sunday at Yokohama Buntai, Japan. Veteran Donaire had the upper hand in the first half, using his experience against the still stiff and nervous Masuda. But the Japanese left finally solved a puzzle against the puzzling southpaw and exploded a trademark southpaw left, decking Nonito on the canvas. Badly bleeding from a gash at the right optic, Donaire began to fight in the eight but his corner finally threw in the towel to save the 43-year-old ex-champ from further punishment. Referee was Bence Kovacs.

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