By Nick Giongco
Naoya Inoue of Japan scored a brutal knockdown late in the fight and defeated Fil-Am Nonito Donaire in an action-packed world bantamweight title fight on Thursday in Saitama, Japan.
Naoya Inoue of Japan, left, and Nonito Donaire. (Phoenix Promotions)
All three judges awarded the fight to Inoue, who won by scores of 116-111, 117-109 and 114-113.
The victory raised Inoue’s record to 19-0 with 16 KOs while the loss dropped to 40-6 with 25 KOs.
Inoue almost dropped Donaire for the count with a wicked body shot to the ribcage in the eleventh but Donaire miraculously survived.
Source: Manila Bulletin
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