Philippines, 26 Jan 2026
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


SPORTS SHORTS 106: NONITO DONAIRE VS. NORDINE OUBAALI HEADLINES SHOWTIME TRIPLEHEADER ON MAY 29


PhilBoxing.com




Following several postponements, Nonito Donaire and Nordine Oubaali are scheduled to meet again atop the ring. The WBC world bantamweight title fight is now right on track, and is slated to headline a Showtime Championship Boxing tripleheader May 29.

* * *

However, the venue was not yet finalized in Showtime’s press release, but it is expected to be announced within a few days. It was earlier reported by Dan Rafael of ESPN that the pair will meet in Los Angeles, California.

* * *

Oubaali (17-0, 12 KOs), age 34 years of Lens, Pas-de-Calais, France will attempt the third defense of the title since winning the belt in a 12-round unanimous decision over Rau’Shee Warren of Cincinnati, Ohio in Jan. 2019.

* * *

Oubaali, a southpaw, and a two-time Olympian who represented France in 2008 Beijing and 2012 London last fought and scored a 12-round unanimous decision over Takuma Inoue, younger brother of world's rated pound-for-pound fighter Naoya Inoue, on November 9, 2019, at Saitama Arena in Saitama, Japan.

* * *

On the same event, Donaire (40-6, 26KOs), former four-division world champion, fought gallantly against Naoya Inoue during their World Boxing Super Series (WBSS) bantamweight finals.

* * *

Before that fight, Donaire won a 4th round injury stoppage of Ryan Burnett of Belfast, Northern Ireland to win a second bantamweight title in November 3, 2018 at The SSE Hydro, Glasgow, Scotland.

*. * *

The Oubaali-Donaire fight has been rescheduled on its third assigned date. It was originally ordered by the WBC to happen on December 19 at the Mohegan Sun Arena but Oubaali was tested positive with Covid-19 and the fight was postponed.

* * *

Donaire was slated to fight former IBF bantamweight world champion Emmanuel Rodriguez of Manatí, Puerto Rico, who replaced Oubaali on short notice, for the vacant title on December 19.

* * *

But Donaire was also tested positive for Covid-19 and he was replaced by Reymart Gaballo of Polomolok, South Cotabato. Rodriguez then lost a disputed split decision for the vacant interim WBC bantamweight title.

* * *

Oubaali was arranged to fight former flyweight world title challenger Nawaphon Kaikanha of Sikhio District, Thailand, on March 13 in Paris. But again due to pandemic concerns and travel restrictions it was cancelled.

* * *

So Oubaali and Donaire will proceed with their fight to be finalized and agreed with Showtime on resetting the fight for this May 29.

* * *

Donaire will attempt to win his third bantamweight title. The 38-year-old Talibon, Bohol-born fighter has won major titles at flyweight, bantamweight, junior featherweight and featherweight in 18 years of his colorful pro career.

* * *

In the same event, Puerto Rico’s Subriel Matias (16-1, 16 KOs) returns to the network action in a junior welterweight title eliminator versus Kazakhstan’s Batyzhan Jukembayev (18-0, 14KOs).

* * *

The winner will face the victor in the other semifinal eliminator between England’s Lewis Ritson (21-1, 12KOs) and Argentina’s Jeremias Ponce (27-0, 17KOs).

* * *

The last undefeated fighter will challenge the IBF junior welterweight title currently held by Josh Taylor, also the WBA champion who will face the unified WBC/WBO champion Jose Ramirez for the undisputed championship on May 22.

* * *

It was also initially reported that the Oubaali-Donaire card will also include the WBC-mandated rematch between interim champ Reymart Gaballo (24-0, 20 KOs) and Emmanuel Rodriguez (19-2, 12 KOs).

* * *

But this bout might not happen, though. Rodriguez’s manager says it’s going to happen, but MP Promotion’s president Sean Gibbons says its not.

* * *

The Los Angeles Lakers received some good news that Anthony Davis has now been cleared to fully participate in on-court basketball games. Davis has been out for two months due to a calf strain and Achilles tendonosis. The team has been very careful in returning him, especially because of the danger of any Achilles injury.

* * *

The Lakers have suffered without their big man, also since LeBron James was also injured the last few weeks due to a severely sprained ankle. The Lakers are currently in fifth place in the Western Conference. They are at risk of getting into the play-in instead of entering immediately into the playoffs.

* * *

Starting the 2016 Rio Olympics, male boxers no longer have to wear protective headgear in competition, due to a ruling by the AIBA and the IOC that it contributes to greater concussion risk. Female athletes continued to wear the headgear, due to "lack of data" on the effectiveness of it on women boxers.

* * *

The highest ranked Asian country in the all time Olympic boxing medal standings is Kazakhstan at No. 18 with 7 gold, 7 silver and 8 bronze medals with total of 22 medals. Followed at second place by Thailand at No. 16 with 4-4-6, total 14. Uzbekistan is third at No. 18 with 4-2-8, total 14.

* * *

Fourth is South Korea at No. 19 with 3-7-10, total 20. Fifth is China at No. 21 with 3-3-6, total 12. Sixth is North Korea at No. 26 with 2-3-3, total 8. Seventh is Japan at No. 28 with 2-0-3, total 5. Eight is Mongolia at No. 32 with 1-2-4, total 7. Ninth is Philippines at No. 46 with 0-2-3, total 5. Tenth is India at No. 64 with 0-0-2, total 2.


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • OLYMPIC BOXING 8: 1948 OLYMPICS AT LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM
    By Maloney L. Samaco, , Mon, 26 Jan 2026
  • Golden Gloves Launches on Meta Quest Store, Establishing the First Official Esports Competition Pathway for Amateur Boxing
    , Mon, 26 Jan 2026
  • Andy Cruz vs Raymond Muratalla: Who Will Execute?
    By Chris Carlson, , Sat, 24 Jan 2026
  • Libranza to fight undefeated Tso for IBF Pan Pacific bantam
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Sat, 24 Jan 2026
  • Filipino Cue Artist RJ Bautista Ready to Shine at the Las Vegas Open 2026
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sat, 24 Jan 2026
  • MURATALLA VS. CRUZ WEIGHTS AND RUNNING ORDER
    , Sat, 24 Jan 2026
  • Xander Zayas vs. Abass Baraou Fight Week Events to Stream LIVE on Top Rank’s Social Media Channels
    , Sat, 24 Jan 2026
  • Ballesteros not yet ready against Ocum
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Sat, 24 Jan 2026
  • Chocolatito Gonzalez to undergo shoulder surgery
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Sat, 24 Jan 2026
  • NM Nika finishes Sixth in Czech Republic Blitz chess tourney
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sat, 24 Jan 2026
  • The Ninth Annual Box Fan Expo RETURNS! Saturday May 2, 2026 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV
    , Sat, 24 Jan 2026
  • Donaire back in Cebu
    By Joaquin Henson, , Fri, 23 Jan 2026
  • MURATALLA VS. CRUZ IN LAS VEGAS FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES
    , Fri, 23 Jan 2026
  • Four Pinoys in line for title shots
    By Joaquin Henson, , Fri, 23 Jan 2026
  • After the meeting in Mexico City, the WBC is ready for 2026
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Fri, 23 Jan 2026
  • Former world title challenger Jerry Belmontes Returns to ring at home after nearly a decade in Retirement on January 31 in Texas
    , Fri, 23 Jan 2026
  • SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT RONNY ALVAREZ TRAINING CAMP NOTES
    , Thu, 22 Jan 2026
  • STRICKLAND STUNS REYES AS SOUQUET SEALS REDEMPTION | WNT LEGENDS
    , Thu, 22 Jan 2026
  • Knicks defeats Nets 120-66 to post largest margin of victory in franchise history
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Thu, 22 Jan 2026
  • Mauricio Sulaiman: "We simply urge Zuffa Boxing to respect and protect boxing and the boxer"
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Thu, 22 Jan 2026
  • January 31: Xander Zayas-Abass Baraou Junior Middleweight Title Unification Showdown to Stream LIVE on Top Rank Classics FAST Channel in the United States
    , Thu, 22 Jan 2026
  • Mike Tyson to Launch “Mike Tyson Invitational,” a Three-Day Amateur Boxing Showcase Aimed at Elevating the Future of American Boxing
    , Thu, 22 Jan 2026
  • KAIPO GALLEGOS TRAINING CAMP NOTES
    , Thu, 22 Jan 2026
  • REYES AND BUSTAMANTE DELIVER HOME-SOIL MASTERCLASS | WNT LEGENDS
    , Wed, 21 Jan 2026
  • Reigning World 10-ball Champion Filipino cue master Jonas Magpantay to see action in Indonesia pool tourney
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Wed, 21 Jan 2026




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2026 philboxing.com.