Donaire knocks out Oubaali to snatch the WBC bantamweight belt

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

After two long years, Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire is once again a world champion in boxing.

Fighting in front of his fans at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California, Donaire shocked the world after crushing French champion Nordine Oubaali in just four rounds to clinch the WBC bantamweight title.

The arena was filled with nostalgia as the 38-year-old Donaire looked like his old self after starting the fight aggressively paired with his signature fluid head movements.

Oubaali looked lost as the fight progressed when the Filipino Flash started to throw a variety of punches that kept the French man guessing every second.

With 46 seconds left in the third quarter, Oubaali began to trade punches with Donaire in a slugfest but ended up losing in the exchange and dropped to the canvass.

Donaire followed up his first knockdown with another one after connecting on a heavy left hook to score his second of the night.

The next round became Oubaali’s biggest nightmare as Donaire unleashed the biggest left hook of the fight that knocked the French pug out.

Donaire’s huge victory was Oubaali’s first-ever professional career loss and dropped his record to 17-1-12 while the Filipino rose to 41-6-27.

“This is something I had to prove to the world that I am back and I’m stronger than ever. I just really felt good coming in here,” said the Filipino boxing superstar.