FILIPINO boxing legend Nonito Donaire Jr. is not ready to hang up the gloves just yet. Following a tough loss last month, the "Filipino Flash" is officially set to return to the ring on March 15, 2026.
He will travel to the Yokohama Buntai in Yokohama, Japan, to take on rising Japanese prospect Riku Masuda in a high-stakes bantamweight clash.
The 43-year-old Donaire is looking to bounce back from a heartbreaking split-decision defeat against Seiya Tsutsumi on December 17, 2025.
That fight for the WBA bantamweight title was incredibly close, with judges’ scores varying wildly. While one judge saw Donaire as the clear winner at 116-112, the others favored the local champion Tsutsumi, leaving Donaire just short of making history once again.
In this upcoming bout, Donaire faces a much younger opponent in the 28-year-old Masuda. While Masuda cannot match Donaire’s years of experience, he is currently at the peak of his career and riding a six-game winning streak.
Masuda has recently proven his power by defeating former world title challengers like Jonas Sultan and Michell Banquez, most recently earning a fifth-round technical decision win over Jose Miguel Calderon in November 2025.
The stakes for this match are incredibly high for both fighters. Donaire currently holds the No. 1 ranking in the WBA bantamweight division, and a victory over Masuda could lead to an immediate rematch with Tsutsumi for the world title.
For Masuda, who is ranked in the top 10 by all four major boxing organizations, a win over a future Hall-of-Famer like Donaire would instantly make him a top contender for a world championship.
Donaire enters the ring with a legendary record of 43 wins and 9 losses, including 28 knockouts. Masuda brings a hungry 9-1 record with eight knockouts to the table. / EKA