Donaire captures WBA World Title after Burnett injury
Nonito 'The Filipino Flash' Donaire Jr. is once again a world champion after dethroning Northern Ireland's Ryan Burnett in their World Boxing Super Series Quarterfinal bout to become the new WBA (Super) Bantamweight World Champion, Saturday in Glasgow, Scotland.
A back injury forced Burnett to throw in the towel after the fourth round.
The defending champion Burnett was in control for the first two rounds of action, before Donaire, a multiple-time world champion, rallied in the third and fourth rounds.
The fourth round spelled the beginning of the end for Burnett as his back appeared to be in tremendous pain following a missed punch.
The erstwhile-unbeaten Burnett soldiered on to finish the fourth round, but clearly could no longer continue to fight, thus giving Donaire the victory and the championship.
The 35-year old Donaire makes a successful return back down to bantamweight after moving up and down from super bantamweight to featherweight during the last seven years of his career.
The last time Donaire was victorious in the 118-pound division was back in 2011 when he defeated Omar Narvaez to retain the WBC and WBO bantamweight titles.
With the win, Donaire improves to 39-5 with 25 wins via KO.
"The Filipino Flash" advances to the World Boxing Super Series Bantamweight Tournament semifinals to face WBO Bantamweight World Champion Zolani Tete of South Africa.