Nonito Donaire, 43, falls to Japan rising star Riku Masuda by TKO

Filipino boxing legend Nonito 'The Filipino Flash' Donaire suffered a technical knockout loss to Japanese rising star Riku Masuda in the eighth round of their WBA bantamweight world title eliminator on March 15, 2026, at Yokohama Buntai in Yokohama, Japan. The 43-year-old Donaire, who entered the fight with a record of 43 wins and 9 losses, faced the 28-year-old Masuda who came in undefeated at 9-1 with 8 knockouts. The bout was scheduled for 10 rounds at the bantamweight division limit of 118 pounds, with Masuda holding physical advantages including a 1-inch height and 2-inch reach advantage over the veteran Filipino fighter.

At the time of the stoppage, all three judges' scorecards favored Masuda with scores of 64-67, 63-68, and 63-68, indicating Donaire was behind on points before the TKO. Donaire, who turned professional in 2001, had vastly more experience with 340 professional rounds compared to Masuda's 51 rounds. Despite being the underdog at +130 odds against Masuda's -160 favorite status, Donaire entered the ring with predictions favoring him to win by decision or knockout.

The fight represented a significant career opportunity for Masuda, who was ranked as The Ring's No. 9-rated bantamweight and had expressed respect for Donaire while stating a victory would 'give tremendous confidence' for his title aspirations. Masuda's only prior loss came against current WBA champion Seiya Tsutsumi by unanimous decision in August 2023, while Donaire had recently lost title fights to Tsutsumi (split decision in December 2025) and Alexandro Santiago (unanimous decision in July 2023).

Filipino-focused media coverage highlighted the generational clash, with pre-fight analysis emphasizing Donaire's power versus Masuda's youth, and post-fight reports describing the TKO as a 'shocking end for Pinoy legend in round 8.' The victory positions Masuda closer to a WBA bantamweight title shot, while raising questions about the future of the 43-year-old Donaire's storied career that has spanned over two decades in professional boxing.