Nonito Donaire Jr. KOs foe, punches ticket to WBSS bantamweight final

Filipino Nonito Donaire Jr. decks Stephon Young with a left hook in the sixth round of their World Boxing Super Series semifinal. Donaire retained his WBA (Super) bantamweight belt and advanced to the WBSS final. Photo from World Boxing Super Series Twitter account

Filipino star Nonito Donaire Jr. knocked out Stephon Young in the sixth round to retain his WBA bantamweight title and make the World Boxing Super Series final.

It was an easy victory for Donaire against Young who was originally expected to fight further down the undercard but was moved up when South African southpaw Zolani Tete pulled out with a shoulder injury.

The 36-year-old Donaire (40-5, 26 KOs) has regained his old lethal form since his return to bantamweight, a division he had once dominated.

In the other title bout, American Regis Prograis captured his first major crown Saturday by stopping Kiryl Relikh in the sixth round of a WBA super lightweight world title fight in Lafayette, Louisiana.

The 30-year-old, undefeated Prograis knocked the Belarusian down in the first round and cut him on his nose in the second round of the lopsided bout.

Despite being the challenger, Prograis came into the fight as the favourite and he lived up to that billing by improving his career record to 24-0. 

“I am the real deal. I am a different animal,” said Prograis. “Whoever they put in front of me they going to get the same treatment.”

Relikh, 30, dropped to 23-3 and has now lost three of his last five fights.

Prograis knocked Relikh down in the first round with a stinging body shot. The punch sent Relikh staggering backwards before he fell to the canvas. 

Relikh and his trainer also had to deal with a deep cut over the bridge of his nose from the second round on.