WBC orders Donaire to fight Moloney for the vacant bantamweight title

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

Nonito “Filipino Flash” Donaire Jr. will finally make his highly-anticipated ring comeback after the World Boxing Council (WBC) gave him another crack at its vacant bantamweight championship belt.

The WBC formally confirmed that Donaire will be facing another top contender in Jason Moloney announced last January 24, 2023.

WBC’s decision of ordering both fighters came after Japanese undisputed champion Naoya Inoue is set to vacate his belts in the bantamweight division and fight in junior featherweight.

The unbeaten king of the bantamweight division made his decision after stopping Paul Butler of England last December 13 in front of his hometown fans.

Inoue will be leaving the weight class as the World Boxing Association (WBA), World Boxing Organization (WBO), lineal, and the WBC bantamweight champion.

Both Donaire and Moloney were Inoue’s casualties when the Japanese proved to be too much, scoring knockout victories during his bantamweight reign.

Donaire, who is coming off a disappointing knockout loss to Inoue last June 2022, previously said that he is still not ready to retire from the sport.

The former two-belt bantamweight king is still eager to prove that he is one of the top dogs in the division but is yet to agree to terms with Moloney.

WBC released a statement that they are giving both fighters until February 17 to meet and consolidate their terms.

If Donaire will agree, he will have the chance to become the oldest bantamweight champion in the history of boxing.