Nonito Donaire of the Philippines poses with the belt after his ninth round TKO of Toshioka Nishioka of Japan during the WBO Super Bantamweight Title fight at The Home Depot Center on October 13, 2012 in Carson, California. Harry How/Getty Images/AFP
MANILA, Philippines – Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire dominated Toshiaki Nishioka of Japan to retain his IBF and WBO super bantamweight belts via TKO Sunday at the Home Depot Center in Carson City, California.
Donaire connected on a thundering right straight to Nishioka’s jaw that decked the Japanese. Nishioka got up but the referee decided to put a halt to the fight at the 1:54 mark of the ninth round.
Donaire floored Nishioka the first time with a left uppercut in the sixth round but the Japanese was able to survive.
The 29-year-old Donaire, who improved his record to 30-1-0, 19 KOs, tried to bring the fight but Nishioka was just unwilling to engage from the opening bell as both heard it from the crowd.
Donaire controlled the fight from start to finish with Nishioka unable to establish anything.
Donaire picked up the pace in round 4 with body shots. The Japanese, whose 16-fight winning streak was snapped, showed some activity but every time he let his hands go, he got tagged.
Nishioka worked on his jab in the third round but Donaire fought back with his own plus a straight that put the Japanese back into defensive mode.
It was a lackluster fight despite the two knockdowns and what made it more as such was the action-packed bout preceding the main event between unbeaten Brandon Rios and erstwhile undefeated Mike Alvarado.
Rios also won via TKO in the seventh round and with his impressive win, has earned him a possible fight with Manny Pacquiao.
Nishioka absorbed his fifth loss against 39 wins.