COMING off a hiatus for almost two years, future hall-of-famer Nonito Donaire Jr. returns to action today, June 15, 2025 (PH time), and takes on Andres Campos for the interim World Boxing Association (WBA) bantamweight belt at the Casino Buenos Aires in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Donaire Jr. tipped the scales at 117.9 pounds, while Campos hit the bantamweight limit at exactly 118 pounds.
Donaire Jr. last fought on July 29, 2023 in a World Boxing Council (WBC) bantamweight title fight against Alexandro Santiago in Las Vegas, US. Donaire Jr. lost fo Santiago by unanimous decision.
It was his second straight loss after losing to Japanese superstar Naoya Inoue by a second round knockout in Japan a year prior.
At 42 years old, Doniare Jr. attempts to break a record he previously set as the oldest fighter to become a bantamweight champion. He set the record as the oldest bantamweight world champion, at 38 years old, in 2021 when he knocked out Nordine Oubaali to capture the WBC bantamweight belt in Carson, California.
Donaire Jr. is a four-division world champion - winning world titles in the flyweight, bantamweight, super bantamweight and featherweight divisions. He has fought and beaten the elite names in the lower weight divisions - the likes of Vic Darchinyan, Jorge Arce, Toshiaki Nishioka, Omar Narvaez, Moruti Mthalane and Fernando Montiel.
Campos has the youthful advantage in this fight. He’s 14 years younger than Donaire Jr. at 28 years old.
He, however, is light-years away in experience compared to Donaire Jr. Campos has only fought for a world title once in 2023. He challenged Sunny Edwards for the International Boxing Federation (IBF) flyweight belt and lost by a lopsided unanimous decision.
Campos is coming off a third round stoppage of Jimson Garcia last April 12, 2025 in Chile.
Donaire Jr. is 42-8 with 28 knockouts, while Campos is 17-2-1 with six knockouts.
The winner of this fight should be next in line for the regular WBA bantamweight against the winner of the world championship bout between reigning champion Antonio Vargas and Daigo Higa on July 30, 2025. / EKA