A much-anticipated fight between Nonito Donaire of the Philippines and Naoya Inoue of Japan is finally around the corner. The ‘Filipino Flash’ and ‘The Monster’ are set to face each other on November 7th.
It’s a classic tale in the boxing world, one that involves a hard-hitting young Champion in Inoue (18-0-0 with 16 KOs) finding himself facing off against a skilled and wily veteran in Donaire (40-5-0 with 26 KOs).
Donaire must rely on experience
While he may no longer be able to fight with the blistering speed of his younger days, Donaire certainly offers up a serious challenge for Inoue.
In the leadup to their World Boxing Super Series final matchup, Donaire conveniently dispatched his two opponents. He first forced Ryan Burnett to retire before the fourth round of their quarter-final fight and knocked out Stephon Young in the sixth round of their semi-final.
Donaire will need to rely on all of his experience, plus his signature left hook, if he’s to defeat Inoue. He’s fought world-class fighters in the past and has the heart to fight. The question is whether or not he can overcome the odds against Inoue.
Inoue is a crushing machine
The undefeated Japanese fighter, who is a decade younger than Donaire, is certainly not afraid of a challenge. He’s also got destructive power, having finished most of his career victories by way of knockout.
However, Inoue has a great deal of respect for his upcoming opponent and doesn’t believe that his youth will help him win an easy fight. He’s ready for a twelve-round war.
“In my fight with Nonito Donaire, I do not dare pursue a knockout victory, but, basically, I am going to win by a wide decision by doing smart boxing,” said Inoue in an interview with BoxingScene.
What remains to be seen, however, is whether or not Donaire will be able to withstand the crushing body blows that Inoue loves to throw. They may slow down Donaire, and if that happens, Inoue could find his opportunity for a knockout victory.
Don’t sleep on Donaire
Inoue may be heavily favored for the fight, but it would be foolish to count Donaire out. The Filipino veteran looks like he still has a little bit of magic left in the tank. He could still add another victory to a storied career that has seen him win titles in four weight classes.
His contemporary, the legendary Manny Pacquiao, also serves as a great example for continued success.
“As long as I take care of myself like Manny has, age is nothing but a number at this point,” Donaire told ABS-CBN.
It will be interesting to see if Inoue sticks to his game plan and tries to outbox his opponent. One thing’s for certain: it’s going to be a fun fight.
Article updated on November 6, 2019 with a video from the pre-fight press conference.
