Naoya Inoue and Nonito Donaire are good to go for Tuesday’s three-belt bantamweight unification in Saitama, Japan, with both fighters making weight as anticipated today.
Inoue weighed in at the limit of 118 lbs, with Donaire just under at 117.8.
The 39-year-old Donaire (42-6, 28 KO) is bringing the WBC belt he won last year — becoming the oldest fighter to ever win a world title at bantamweight — while Inoue, 29, has the WBA and IBF belts.
The winner could, potentially, square off with WBO titleholder Paul Butler for an undisputed title fight. Butler may not be the biggest opponent for either, but an undisputed claim is an undisputed claim, and it’s all the rage at the moment. We’ve just recently had Jermell Charlo and Devin Haney win undisputed championships at 154 and 135, and Donaire in particular has stated that it is a goal of his.
“I feel good, I feel great. It is going to be an amazing night and you can look forward to seeing the best of me,” Donaire said after the weigh-in. “I am very fired up and it is going to be a very exciting fight!”
