Philippines, 08 Jul 2025
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


Perfect foe, perfect outcome


PhilBoxing.com





Nonito Donaire, Jr. couldn’t have found a more perfect opponent than Andres Campos in his comeback fight after a two-year layoff. Last Saturday, Donaire displayed master class in outboxing the Chilean to win the WBA interim bantamweight title via a ninth round technical unanimous decision at Casino Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Campos, only four years old when Donaire turned pro in 2001, was overwhelmed in his bantamweight debut. Before taking on Donaire, Campos had fought twice as a superflyweight, losing once and winning once. In 2023, he battled Sunny Edwards for the IBF flyweight crown at Wembley and dropped a unanimous verdict that wasn’t close. Experience was on Donaire’s side with Campos logging only 20 fights to the Filipino Flash’s 50.

Physically, Campos was outsized. He’s 3 1/2 inches shorter and his reach, four inches less. At the weigh-in, Campos scaled slightly more, 118 to Donaire’s 117.9. For Donaire to tip in at less than 118 was a clear indication of his discipline. At 42, he has kept in firm control of his body. In his last eight fights since 2018, Donaire has weighed within the 118-pound bantamweight limit. Note that Donaire hadn’t fought in two years yet made weight with no difficulty. Also, Donaire had fought as a superbantamweight and featherweight in the past.

When the bell rang to start hostilities, Donaire came out fighting southpaw. But after a few head clashes, he reverted to orthodox. Late in the first round, Donaire was buzzed by a butt that struck his right eye, making it puffy. Throughout the bout, Campos couldn’t figure out how to attack. He danced and circled away but found no angles with Donaire controlling distance. He charged in to push Donaire along the ropes but couldn’t hold down the Bohol native who deftly brought the action back to the center of the ring.

Donaire was a little slower than usual, owing to ring rust but it didn’t matter. He unraveled a variety of dazzling combinations that put Campos constantly on the defensive. Donaire threw a left straight to the face then right hook to the body, right hook to the face then left hook to the body, double or triple left jabs and flurries of three to four punches. In the seventh, Campos was hurt by a body shot and in the eighth, took a hard right to the face. Donaire was pushed down and lost his balance in the eighth as Campos looked desperate. Puerto Rican referee Luis Pabon ruled it a slip. In the ninth, another butt opened a cut over Donaire’s right eyebrow and blood dripped down the side of his face. Donaire complained he couldn’t see as his right eye socket had swelled badly and Pabon waved it off to go to the scorecards. Panamanian judge Ignacio Robles and Puerto Rican judge Jose Roberto Torres saw it 87-84 and Panamanian judge Guillermo Perez Pineda had it 88-83, all for Donaire who now awaits the winner of the July 30 bout between WBA champion Antonio Vargas and Daigo Higa in Yokohama to shoot for the throne.


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Joaquin Henson.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • Hovhannisyan and Barrientes Set for High-Stakes Showdowns July 18 on DAZN
    , Tue, 08 Jul 2025
  • UNBEATEN PROSPECT KENNETH LLOVER TO FACE FORMER TWO-DIVISION CHAMPION LUIS CONCEPCION IN MANILA
    , Mon, 07 Jul 2025
  • Yoseline Perez Concludes World Boxing Cup Astana 2025 with Silver Medal
    , Mon, 07 Jul 2025
  • GM Gonzales finishes second in Penang Makruk chess meet, pockets silver medal
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Mon, 07 Jul 2025
  • THRILLA IN MANILA GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY 10 - ALI WINS OVER PATTERSON, EVADES VIETNAM WAR DRAFT
    By Maloney L. Samaco, , Sun, 06 Jul 2025
  • Jack Catterall Defeats Harlem Eubank Via Technical Decision After Fight Stopped Early Due to Cuts
    By Dong Secuya, , Sun, 06 Jul 2025
  • Good Fortune for Manny
    By Joaquin Henson, , Sun, 06 Jul 2025
  • Rimar Metuda Bows to Kuntae Lee in Japan
    By Carlos Costa, , Sun, 06 Jul 2025
  • BA President Umar Kremlev makes heavyweight icon Tyson Fury an offer for ‘beautiful farewell fight’ for IBA heavyweight title
    , Sun, 06 Jul 2025
  • Yoseline Perez Advances to Gold Medal Bout at World Boxing Cup: Astana 2025
    , Sun, 06 Jul 2025
  • Catterall vs Eubank: Jack’s Experience Gap Too Wide?
    By Chris Carlson, , Sat, 05 Jul 2025
  • Morelle McCane Advances to Semifinals at World Boxing Cup: Astana 2025
    , Sat, 05 Jul 2025
  • WEIGHTS FROM MANCHESTER: CATTERALL - 146.5 LBS., EUBANK - 146.5 LBS.
    , Sat, 05 Jul 2025
  • Vincent Astrolabio in LA training alongside Manny Pacquiao
    By Ace Freeman, , Sat, 05 Jul 2025
  • Jason Sanchez Upsets Previously Undefeated Julian Gonzalez in Philly
    , Sat, 05 Jul 2025
  • Meatball Launches Boxing Career With Matchroom
    , Sat, 05 Jul 2025
  • The Queens of Philippine Boxing are Training in Cebu
    By Carlos Costa, , Fri, 04 Jul 2025
  • Raising the Game: Jean Henri Lhuillier’s Unmatched Impact on Philippine Tennis
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 04 Jul 2025
  • GM Eugene Torre to grace the Asenso Ozamis Open Chess Tournament
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 04 Jul 2025
  • The Second Rise of Jesse Espinas
    By Carlos Costa, , Fri, 04 Jul 2025
  • Boxing Golden Age Comparison - Philippines and Japan
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Fri, 04 Jul 2025
  • Kittipong, Magdalena, Kim, Kritiphak Claim Wins in Brico Santig's Show in Bangkok
    By Carlos Costa, , Fri, 04 Jul 2025
  • Kremlev, Crawford, Fury Launch IBA's Golden Era of International Boxing
    , Fri, 04 Jul 2025
  • International Master Angelo Young stays on course for GM norm
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 04 Jul 2025
  • Robby Gonzales and Yoseline Perez Progress to Semifinals at World Boxing Cup: Astana 2025
    , Fri, 04 Jul 2025




  •  



     
    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
    © 2025 philboxing.com.