Seiya Tsutsumi comes out on top against Nonito Donaire

Seiya Tsutsumi (13-0-3, 8 KOs) got the victory via split decision following a thrilling encounter against Nonito Donaire (43-9, 28 KOs).

Although one judge had the action 116-112 for Donaire, the other two saw it 117-111 and 116-112 for Tsutsumi. The Japanese fighter retained his WBA bantamweight world title with the victory. This was his first defence since being reinstated as the organization’s champion.

Their bout headlined a Teiken Promotions card at the Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan. Fight fans in the country could catch the action live on U-Next. Those outside of Japan required a VPN to view the fights.

Seiya Tsutsumi vs. Nonito Donaire fight recap

Donaire began strongly, consistently landing his jab and straight right hands in the first three rounds. Although Tsutsumi started to turn things around in the fourth, a right upstairs buckled his legs. Donaire was unable to capitalize further as the bell to end the round rang soon after. It was a significant punch, however, as it caused a cut on the bridge of Tsutsumi’s nose.

The reigning champion did not let the cut deter him and had considerable success in rounds five and six, but Donaire made him work hard for it. Subsequent rounds were competitive, but the challenger was leaving himself open to counter right hands. Although Donaire had success with the jab in the tenth, Tsutsumi took control with power shots like the left hook. Despite struggling in the early rounds, the Japanese fighter was now surging ahead.

By the eleventh Donaire was sporting a cut by his right eye and maintaining his distance. An overhand right in the twelfth caused his legs to buckle but the Filipino-American stayed standing and continued to put up quite a resistance. Unfortunately for Donaire, two of the judges had the fight for Tsutsumi who would go on to retain his world title.

Action from other world title fights on the Seiya Tsutsumi vs. Nonito Donaire undercard

René Santiago (15-4, 9 KOs) is now the WBO and WBA light flyweight world champion thanks to a split decision win against Kyosuke Takami (10-1, 8 KOs). Although one judge had the action 116-112 for Takami, the other two saw it 117-111 and 115-113 for the now unified world champion. Santiago won the WBO belt earlier this year against Shokichi Iwata and now adds the WBA title to his collection.

Anthony Olascuaga (11-1, 8 KOs) retained his WBO flyweight world title once again with a fourth round technical knockout against Taku Kuwahara (14-3, 9 KOs). The official time of stoppage was 2:37. This was Olascuaga’s fourth world title defence since winning it against Riku Kano in 2024. Kuwahara got hit with a left hook and eventually got trapped into a corner in the fourth. Olascuaga unleashed a barrage of punches that eventually caused referee Robert Hoyle to step in and end proceedings with Kuwahara still standing.