Nonito Donaire wins unanimous decision over Andres Campos

42 year old former world champion Nonito Donaire (43-8-0, 28 KOs) stepped back into the bantamweight spotlight to face Chilean contender Andrés Campos (17-3-1, 6 KOs) for the vacant WBA interim bantamweight title at Casino Buenos Aires. The Filipino Flash weighed in at 117.9 lbs to Campos' 118. With a 14 year age gap and decades of ring experience separating them, the dynamics presented a clash of veteran savvy and youthful vigour.

From the outset, Campos used movement and volume to test Donaire's timing and reflexes. The Chilean's quick combinations kept the older man from unloading early, forcing Donaire to adapt into a patient counterpuncher. As the rounds progressed, Donaire's famed left hook began to find its mark, mixed with sharp counter jabs that disrupted Campos' rhythm. Even though the veteran didn't land overwhelming flurries, his accuracy steadily carved out the momentum.

Campos landed crisp combinations, particularly in the middle rounds, but they weren't consistently enough to sway the judges. Donaire, meanwhile, increased his effectiveness by elevating his power output late in the fight, showcasing that devastating left hook once again. That punch remains his calling card and, at this level, a phenomenon in itself.

A key event occurred in round nine when an accidental clash of heads opened a cut on Campos. This unfortunate yet revealing moment highlighted Donaire's ring positioning and sharp punching sequencing. Despite the blood, the Chilean soldiered on, but his offensive output waned as fatigue set in, age and fight mileage conspiring. Donaire seized those later rounds, pulling away on the cards with more pronounced counter shots and resuming polished poise.

Technique rather than brutality defined the night. Both fighters maintained an orthodox stance for the duration, blending styles of aggression with savvy countering. Donaire's jab-right-cross combination punctuated openings, keeping Campos respectful of distance before the veteran dropped in the power shots. Campos' willingness to engage and work the mid-range compensated for reach disparity; Donaire held a two-inch height edge and a three-inch reach edge, which allowed for the older man's cleaner, more telling punches.

By the final bell, it was clear: two decades of elite ring craft remained intact in Nonito Donaire. He earned the unanimous decision in a solid, if unspectacular, boxing match and claimed the interim WBA bantamweight title. The win breaks a nearly two-and-a-half-year victory drought, his last triumph coming via fourth-round knockout over Reymart Gaballo in December 2021. For Campos, the loss adds a third blemish to his past six bouts (2-3-1), but credit must be given for his toughness and positional work despite the age and experience gap.

This victory elevates Donaire to mandatory challenger status for regular WBA bantamweight titlist Antonio Vargas (19-1, 11 KOs), positioning him for a high stakes October showdown. At 42, Donaire continues to defy expectations. His ability to adapt, switching between patient counterpunching and signature left hooks, remains intact.