Riku Masuda (10-1, 9 KOs) stopped Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire in the eighth round Saturday, with Donaire’s corner throwing in the towel to hand Masuda a decisive victory in their WBA bantamweight eliminator and a clear path toward a mandatory world title shot.
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The fight turned in the fifth round when an accidental head clash opened a cut over Donaire’s right eye, allowing Masuda to intensify his pressure on the veteran. The younger fighter dominated from that point forward, landing sustained punishment that convinced Donaire’s corner to end the contest midway through the eighth.
Masuda Positions Himself for World Title Shot
The stoppage win positions Masuda as the WBA bantamweight mandatory challenger. At 10-1 with nine stoppages, he has now made a significant statement against one of the most decorated bantamweights in boxing history.
For Donaire, a four-time world champion who has shown extraordinary longevity in the sport, the stoppage loss raises difficult questions about the future of his career. The 43-year-old now faces a harder road back to another title shot following Saturday’s result.
