Donaire's Yokohama Showdown: Can our Filipino Flash Outshine the Rising Sun? (WEIGH-IN PHOTOS)
By Carlos Costa
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 15 Mar 2026
The stage is set for a thrilling showdown in Yokohama, Japan! At 43, boxing legend Nonito "The Filipino Flash" Donaire, one of the most popular Filipino boxers ever, is back in the ring, and the Bohol-born Fil-Am is hungry for more glory! Today, Sunday, our awesome Nonito battles against Japanese contender Riku Masuda in a WBA bantamweight eliminator.
With a career spanning over a decade and a half, Nonito Donaire has already taken on some of the biggest names in the sport, including Vic Darchinyan, Fernando Montiel, and Toshiaki Nishioka, among many others. His win over Fernando Montiel will always be my favorite one! I enjoyed Nonito's win over Moruti Mthalane at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. I attended that fight with my boxing hermanos Dong Secuya and Dr. Ed de la Vega.
But it's his epic battle with Japan's Naoya Inoue in 2019, which won the Best Fight of the Year Award, the one rumble that still sends shivers down fans' spines, and is already one of the greatest bantamweight world title fights in history. That's how terrific a fighter Nonito Donaire has been, always representing the Pinoys with charm, elegance, and coolness!
How proud of Nonito Donaire we all a Filipino Fire vs. Japanese Fury: Donaire vs. Masuda Now, our boy is looking to add another win to his impressive résumé, and he's got the perfect opponent in Masuda. The Japanese rising star wants Nonito's head. Wants to scalp him. Wants people to know him around the world. Nonito already has a name, and to me, Nonito is a future Hall of Famer. Masuda wants recognition. A win over Donaire is surely his big chance. Could he outbox someone like Donaire? Mmmm... I'm in Cebu, imagining that in Japan, boxing fans must be thrilled!
The Yokohama Buntai Arena must be buzzing with anticipation. Importantly, Donaire and Masuda made weight yesterday, with the Filipino legend coming in at 117.7 lbs and Masuda at 117.5 lbs. When the two fighters faced off during the weigh-in ceremony, Donaire exuded his trademark confidence, while Masuda looked focused and determined. How about this lovely photo courtesy of my dear old friend, the #1 Boxing Photographer in the world, Mr. Naoky Fukuda?
So what's your best guess: Who will get the win, claiming the right to fight for the WBA Bantamweight World Title? To me, I think Nonito can get this win (my humble opinion). With all due respect to the younger Japanese world-class fighter, but even at 43, Donaire is in a class of his own. Not because he is a Pinoy that I think he can win. It's because of his fantastic skills, his speed, his confusing, elegant moves, and his brutal power punch.
One thing's for sure – this is going to be one heck of an exciting fight! Let's go Nonito, Let's Go "Filipino Flash," Laban Pinoy!
The author is veteran boxing writer Carlos Costa of Cebu.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Carlos Costa.
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