NONITO DONAIRE STOPS REYMART GABALLO TO RETAIN HIS WBC BELT – VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS
Los Angeles, CA (December 12th, 2021)– Nonito Donaire at age 39 knocked out Reymart Gaballo with a thundering body shot in the fourth round of their title fight in Los Angeles.
Nonito Donaire showed that age is just a number, knocking Reymart Gaballo out in the fourth round with a thunderous body shot to retain his World Boxing Council bantamweight title on Saturday.
The veteran and ageless wonder Donaire continues to impress at 39 despite being counted out several times by boxing critics before the Philippine boxer moved back to the 118-pound division.
Donaire landed a vicious left hook to the body of Gaballo that sent the 25-year-old opponent down late in the fourth round at Dignity Health Sports Park in south-central Los Angeles.
Gaballo remained on his right knee for several seconds before trying to get up. He rose partially but slumped back down again, grimacing as the referee officially stopped the fight at 2:59 of the round.
“I have no mercy,” Donaire said. “He didn’t expect the left hook to the body. I had to set it up. That was a very tremendous punch.”
Donaire was fighting a Philippine fighter for the first time since 2002. A likeable fighter outside the ring, Donaire put his arm around Gaballo and telling him to not be discouraged after suffering just the first loss of his rising boxing career.
“I told him ‘don’t be down’. I told him ‘I was having trouble figuring you out,'” said Donaire, who improved to 42-6, 28 KOs.
Donaire is now the face of Philippine boxing after the retirement of Manny Pacquiao, and his overpowering performance against Gaballo (24-1, 20 KOs) is another example of his late-career run.
This was his first defense of the WBC title that he won six months ago with another sensational fourth-round knockout of Nordine Oubaali to become the oldest world champion ever at 118 pounds. Donaire dropped Oubaali three times, knocking him out with a left hand.
In answer, Donaire rejuvenated his career by moving back down to 118 pounds, which seems to suit him just fine. He has now won four fights at 118 and gave Japanese champion Naoya Inoue all he could handle in 2019 before losing by a decision.
“I have been in this game a long time. We are going for the unified champion of the world,” he said.
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