Former multi-weight champ Nonito Donaire will go for yet another world title later this month, albeit an interim title. As per BoxRec and a post on X from Lance Pugmire, “The Filipino Flash” will face Andres Campos of Chile, the fight to take place in Buenos Aires, Argentina on June 14th. So, this fight will happen pretty rapidly after having been announced.
Donaire, 42-8(28) was last seen losing on points to Alexandro Santiago in a failed bid to regain the WBC bantamweight title, this fight taking place back in July of 2023. Prior to that fight, Donaire was knocked out inside a couple of rounds in his return fight with Naoya Inoue; this just the second stoppage loss Donaire has ever suffered.
Campos brings youth—but not much power
Campos, 17-2-1(6) has mostly boxed down at flyweight, where he dropped a 12-round decision to Sunny Edwards a couple of years ago, this for the IBF title. Since then the 28 year old has moved up to junior bantamweight, with him being 1-1 in his last two outings, the loss to Joselito Velazquez being a 6th round stoppage defeat, with Campos bouncing back to win his last fight, this in April.
Donaire is now 42 years old and he already holds the record for being the oldest bantamweight champ ever, this at age 38, when Donaire beat Nordine Oubaali to win the WBC belt in May of 2021. Who knows what drives Donaire on now, after all that he has accomplished in the ring. But Donaire, like so many great fighters, cannot bring himself to call it a day.
The Philippines refuses to fade quietly
And Donaire has kept himself in shape, he still looks sharp, and against Campos he will be fighting a man who is moving up in weight (again) and who is no big puncher (just those six KO’s). Don’t rule out a Donaire win here.
And if Donaire did win, and if his countryman Manny Pacquiao also won his July comeback fight against WBC welterweight champ Mario Barrios, well, what a summer it really would be for the great fighting country that is the Philippines. It really is astonishing that both greats are still fighting here in 2025, what with Pacquiao turning pro way back in 1995, and with Donaire going pro in 2001.