Donaire eyes super fly bouts before one more bantam title-unifying chase

Japan’s Naoya Inoue (L) fights against Philippines’ Nonito Donaire during their Bantamweight unification boxing match at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama on June 7, 2022. (Photo by Philip FONG / AFP)

MANILA, Philippines — Nonito Donaire Jr. is planning to drop down to super flyweight division, eyeing matches against Kazuto Ioka and Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez.

After losing his bantamweight title to Naoya Inoue last June, the 39-year-old Filipino told Probellum.com that he is not done yet and intends to change his weight division before going back to 118 pounds in pursuit of becoming the undisputed champion.

The former four-weight world champion said interest would be high for a bout against WBO champion Ioka or Chocolatito.

“It’s a really good fight with Chocolatito and people are saying it would be ‘legend versus legend,’” Donaire told Probellum.

“It’s a big fight. But I do like the Ioka fight as well because I want to get that title and become a five-division champion and then move back up to 118 and go for the undisputed crown once everything else is open and I get another opportunity for it.”

The Filipino Flash revealed he had considered dropping down to super flyweight before he faced Inoue last month and sees no problems shaving off the excess weight–normally a bane for older fighters.

“Before the fight with Inoue, Richard Schaefer and I talked about going down to 115. Making the weight was very simple for me and I made it quickly. I even made 117 before stepping on the scales,” Donaire said.

“Richard and I were talking and saying that regardless of what happens here, maybe I can go down to 115 and fight the guys in that division.”

Donaire, who holds a 42-7 record with 28 knockouts, said his camp is already in talks with both boxers’ representatives to set a match.

“Richard is talking with Ioka’s people, with Mr. Honda and he is talking to Chocolatito as well. It’s exciting, there are a lot of things to look forward to,” he said.

Ioka, 29-2 (15 KOs), won his last six matches, including a unanimous victory over Filipino Donnie Nietes last July.

Gonzales owns a 51-3 record with 41 KOs, he last fought in March and beat Julio Cesar Martinez by unanimous decision.