Nonito Donaire poses for a picture after a fourth round knockout win over Reymart Gaballo for the WBC World Bantamweight Championship at Dignity Health Sports Park on December 11, 2021 in Carson, California. Harry How/Getty Images/AFP
MANILA, Philippines—Nonito Donaire continued his renaissance as he knocked out fellow Filipino Reymart Gaballo to retain his WBC bantamweight championship Sunday (Manila time) at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.
The 39-year-old landed a brutal left hook to the body that immediately sent Gaballo kneeling as referee Ray Corona had no choice but finish the 10-count late in the fourth round.
Gaballo, who entered the bout as the interim champion, tried to stand up at the eighth count but immediately crumbled back down.
THE RENAISSANCE CONTINUES! @filipinoflash retains his WBC bantamweight title with a powerful body shot 👏 #DonaireGaballo pic.twitter.com/B2FN9oC7tO
— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) December 12, 2021
This was Donaire’s first successful defense of his title that he wrested away from Nordine Ouubali in May 2021.
Donaire (42-6-0) has now won four of his last five fights with that lone loss coming against Naoya Inoue, the man who holds WBA, IBF, and Ring Magazine titles.
No cheat days, just choice days for @filipinoflash 💯 😈#DonaireGaballo pic.twitter.com/VvHkB8MzSU
— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) December 12, 2021
Gaballo (24-1, 20KOs), meanwhile, suffered his first career loss.
Marlon Tapales knocked Japan’s Hiroaki Teshigawara down three times securing a second round KO in the IBF junior featherweight world title elimination in the undercard.
The Filipino came out guns blazing at the start of the second and landed a crisp right cross sending Teshigawara down foe the third time.
Referee Jack Reiss eventually stopped counting at six after Teshigawara’s third time on the ground.
Tapales (35-3), a former WBO bantamweight champion, has now won 14 of his last 15 bouts while Teshigawara fell to 22-3-2.