FILIPINO legend Nonito Donaire Jr. fell short and lost to defending World Boxing Association (WBA) bantamweight champion Seiya Tsutsumi by split decision in a very close contest on Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025, at the Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan.
At 43 years old, Donaire proved to the world that he can still compete at a high level, giving Tsutsumi — a fighter 14 years his junior — a serious run for his money.
Donaire made a strong start, boxing methodically in the first half of the fight. He came out huge in the fourth round as he buckled Tsutsumi with a wicked right uppercut to the bead, but failed to finish the job.
Tsutsumi, who was bleeding through his nose, regained his composure and turned in a solid performance in the later rounds.
He put on steady pressure and occasionally caught Donaire — who no longer has the same speed as when he was younger — with solid shots. The 29-year-old Japanese champion did just enough to sway two of the three judges in his favor.
After 12 rounds of intense action, American judge Robert Hoyle scored it 116-112 for Donaire, while the two other judges, Leszek Jankowiak and Pinit Prayadsab, had it for Tsutsumi with scores of 117-111 and 115-113, respectively.
Donaire entered the fight as the interim WBA bantamweight champion after winning the belt with a ninth-round technical decision win over Andres Campos six months ago.
Donaire holds the distinction of being the oldest world bantamweight champion, a record he set at the age of 38 when he won the World Boxing Council (WBC) title with a fourth-round knockout of Nordine Oubaali in 2021. / EKA