NONITO DONAIRE MAKES HISTORY, CAPTURES WBC BANTAMWEIGHT WORLD TITLE – VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

NONITO DONAIRE MAKES HISTORY, CAPTURES

WBC BANTAMWEIGHT WORLD TITLE WITH

SPECTACULAR FOURTH-ROUND KNOCKOUT

SATURDAY NIGHT ON SHOWTIME

Subriel Matias and Gary Antuanne Russell Notch

Massive Knockout Wins in Their Respective

Tremendous Light-weight Battles

“The king has returned,” Donaire beamed afterward. “I simply love the crowds. All my associates, household, all of the boxing followers that got here out thanks a lot. You guys are great.”

The 38-year-old Donaire (41-6, 27 KOs) is now the oldest world champion ever at 118-pounds. He completed it with the left hand that’s been the calling card of his profession as he dropped Oubaali (17-1, 12 KOs) thrice in complete.

“Being at this age will not be the query, it’s about my efficiency,” mentioned Donaire. “About my capacity to develop. I imagine it issues not what your age is however how mentally sturdy you might be. What I discovered from the [Naoya] Inoue combat is that I’m again. I can nonetheless compete at this degree. The entire time I used to be not preventing, I used to be studying. I’m prepared for the subsequent one.”

Following a feel-out first spherical, Donaire went to work within the second, strolling Oubaali down and countering with thudding impact. Donaire scored the primary knockdown early within the third, dropping Oubaali together with his trademark counter left hook. The Frenchman rose on unsteady legs and Donaire pounced, touchdown extra huge photographs till one other left hook floored Oubaali only a cut up second earlier than the spherical ended. Once more, Oubaali struggled to his ft, dazed but keen to combat on.

The tip got here swiftly within the fourth. Donaire expertly maneuvered Oubaali across the ring, pinning him towards the ropes the place a left uppercut despatched Oubaali crumpling to the canvas for a 3rd and closing time. Referee Jack Reiss instantly referred to as it off. Official time of the stoppage was 1:52 of the fourth spherical.

“Three a long time of being world champion. 9-time world champion. That’s wonderful,” mentioned Donaire. “I got here in right here and I felt actually good. At the moment I knew precisely what was going to occur. I knew precisely what I used to be going to do. I feel I used to be simply very centered within the fitness center. I used to be very, very centered. I simply felt actually good coming in and I used to be grateful to get this chance.

“Tonight was one thing that I needed to show to the world that I’m again and I’m stronger than ever. He was a really robust man. I feel finally for me, there was a degree of ought to I be extra affected person? Or ought to I am going for it? One thing I discovered within the Inoue combat was to go for the kill. And that’s precisely what I did. I used to be affected person however I knew he was damage sufficient that I may take him out.”

Within the co-feature, Puerto Rico’s Subriel Matias (17-1, 17 KOs) delivered one other power-punching show, breaking down previously-unbeaten Batyr Jukembayev (18-1, 14 KOs) till Jukembayev’s nook stopped the bout after eight riveting rounds.

“I feel that is what all people anticipated. All people knew it was going to be a fantastic conflict,” mentioned Matias. “This was going to finish by knockout whether or not I used to be going to get knocked out or Jukembayev was going to get knocked out. I’m simply glad it was me who knocked him out.”

Matias establishes himself as probably the greatest in a stacked tremendous light-weight division, however this newest win wasn’t straightforward. Kazakhstan’s Jukembayev got here out sturdy, touchdown a proper hook-right uppercut mixture upstairs from his southpaw stance that acquired Matias’ consideration within the first.

Jukembayev pushed the tempo within the second. Matias started letting his fingers go within the third, throwing together to the top and physique. Each combatants had been now totally warmed up, setting the stage for a fourth that could possibly be a candidate for “Spherical of the 12 months.”

It started when a tough left hook staggered Jukembayev and drove him to the canvas. Matias sought to shut the present however Jukembayev held on, cleared his head and began touchdown his personal photographs. With a minute left within the stanza, Jukembayev surprised Matias with a left cross. As a substitute of clinching, Matias fought hearth with hearth, bringing the gang out of their seats with toe-to-toe motion till the bell sounded.

Matias by no means stopped coming ahead. Following a one-sided sixth, Jukembayev returned to his nook with each eyes swelling shut. The forwards and backwards ensued within the seventh as Jukembayev buzzed Matias with two proper hooks towards the top of the spherical.

Matias returned to the driving force’s seat within the eighth, pounding away at Jukembayev with each fists. In complete, he out-landed Jukembayev by 100 punches (234/608 to 134 /409) and was extra correct (38.5% to 32.8%). The buildup of blows was sufficient to persuade Jukembayev’s nook to request the bout be stopped.

“He knew he had nothing to lose. He got here in and was doing all the pieces sturdy,” mentioned Matias. “He knew that each one he may do was knock me out to win. I might have performed the identical factor. That’s a warrior’s coronary heart and he has all my respect.

“After that fourth spherical, I imply he’s a really aggressive fighter, so it was a conflict after that time. My fingers go as much as him as effectively. It was a fantastic combat. I positively have had different opponents that had been superb, however that is the one which has given me the toughest check.”

Within the telecast opener, Gary Antuanne Russell (14-0, 14 KOs) continued his ascent up the tremendous light-weight ranks. The undefeated Russell turned the primary to cease the rugged Jovanie Santiago (14-2-1, 10 KOs), dominating Santiago till referee Sharon Sands halted the competition following the sixth spherical on the suggestion of Santiago’s nook.

“The target is to get the person out as quickly as attainable and are available out unscathed,” mentioned Russell. “I simply wish to say that Santiago was a class-A opponent. Lots of people assume he beat Adrien Broner. I would like Adrien Broner now.”

With older brother and WBC World Featherweight Champion Gary Russell Jr. working his nook, Gary Antuanne managed the motion from the opening bell. The 2016 Olympian labored the jab and straight left behind the southpaw stance, snapping Santiago’s head again a number of instances within the first.

Russell, 24, continued to land the left within the second and third. Early within the fourth, he adopted up a straight left to the ribs with a brief proper hook upstairs that dropped Santiago to a knee. Puerto Rico’s Santiago gamely rose to his ft and survived the follow-up onslaught to make it out of the spherical.

“The significance to me is to execute round-by-round and round-by-round, I used to be executing increasingly more. My father advised me to go to the physique, proper hook upstairs. He was open to that,” mentioned Russell.

Russell confirmed no indicators of slowing regardless of being prolonged past 4 rounds for the primary time in his professional profession. The Capital Heights, Md. product battered Santiago within the sixth, touchdown punishing mixtures all through the body. Moments later, the bout was stopped.

“It’s positively essential to me to carry out so I’m not simply generally known as Gary Russell’s youthful brother,” mentioned Russell, who landed 146 of 444 punches (32.9%). “I come from a superb background of fighters. We’re constructing a dynasty.

“How quickly do I wish to get again within the ring? If I may combat on the Deontay Wilder card, that may be nice.”

Saturday’s SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast will replay Sunday, Could 30 at 9 a.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME and Monday, Could 31 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME EXTREME.