On June 14 (June 15 Japan time), a 12-round bout between WBA No. 5 bantamweight Nonito Donaire (Philippines) — with a record of 42 wins (28 KOs) and 8 losses — and newly ranked No. 8 Andres Campos (Chile) — 17 wins (6 KOs), 2 losses, 1 draw — will be held as an interim WBA World Bantamweight title fight. The match is part of the WBA “KO to Drugs” festival at Casino Buenos Aires in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Despite not having fought since his unanimous decision loss to Alexandro Santiago (Mexico) — 28 wins (14 KOs), 5 losses, 5 draws — in a WBC world bantamweight title bout on July 29, 2023 (July 30 JST) at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, the 42-year-old former five-division world champion (including interim titles), Donaire was suddenly ranked No. 5 in the WBA rankings released on April 30 (May 1 JST).
Originally, Donaire’s comeback in Argentina was expected to be against newly ranked No. 15 Luciano Francisco Baldor (Argentina) — 21 wins (1 KO), 4 losses — but Baldor withdrew due to injury.
Campos, who was approached after several candidates across Latin America turned down the fight, was unexpectedly ranked No. 8 in the WBA bantamweight division and the fight was officially approved as an interim title bout.
Donaire, who is on a two-fight losing streak in world title matches, has been inactive for nearly 1 year and 11 months. Campos, for his part, suffered his first career defeat by unanimous decision (111–117 ×3) against Sunny Edwards (UK) — 21 wins (4 KOs), 2 losses — in a challenge for the IBF flyweight title in London on June 10, 2023 (June 11 JST).
Later, in October 2023, Campos suffered a sixth-round TKO loss in Cancun, Mexico to Joselito Velázquez (Mexico) — 21 wins (13 KOs), 1 loss, 1 draw — who was then ranked WBO No. 6 super flyweight, WBC No. 6 flyweight, and IBF No. 9.
In April of this year, Campos made his comeback in his home country, scoring a third-round TKO victory over Jimsón García (Venezuela) — 12 wins (7 KOs), 8 losses, 1 draw. However, the only reason he has been placed in the world rankings is to fight Donaire. It feels almost like a scene out of Rocky.
Donaire vs. Campos — an interim WBA World Bantamweight title bout between two fighters who haven’t done anything of note recently. While there may be those who pursue a world title with honesty and dedication, to those who have long understood the prestige of a world championship, a case like this is both unbelievable and unacceptable.
And it’s not just me. Many fans and boxing insiders around the world are saying that staging Donaire vs. Campos — even as an interim world title fight — is simply crazy. In any case, what many feared has now become reality.
That Donaire vs. Campos is being held as a world title fight, even if only for an interim belt, is something I find hard to believe — especially as someone who has long understood the prestige and significance of a world championship.
This article has been translated and published with permission from BOXING MASTER.
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