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sports Diaranson 8 Juni 2022
Inoue stops Donaire in 2nd round, unifies 3 bantamweight belts

SAITAMA, Japan (AP) land a fight with WBO ban-
— Naoya Inoue stopped tamweight champ Paul But-
Nonito Donaire midway ler of England later this year.
through the second round “My aim is to be the undis-
Tuesday night, emphati- puted champion,” Inoue
cally winning their re- said. “If I can do that within
match and unifying three 2022, I would love to stay in
bantamweight world ti- this division. But if I can’t,
tles. I’m capable of (moving up in
weight).”
Inoue (23-0, 20 KOs) wasted Donaire (42-7) entered his
no time in his second meet- rematch with Inoue appar-
ing with Donaire, knocking ently confident in his ability
down the veteran champion to trade punches at the cen-
at the end of the first round ter of the ring with the Japa-
and again midway through nese champion, but Inoue
the second. Inoue’s relentless abruptly dropped Donaire
pressure and power ended with a short right hook mo-
the fight at 1:24 in Saitama ments before the bell to end
Super Arena outside Tokyo. the first round. Donaire got
“To be able to raise my sta- up comfortably, but Inoue
tus up at the top, I needed to piled on the pressure in the
win this fight, so I decided second round and unloaded
to make this fight finish at on Donaire with another se-
this moment,” Inoue said ries of accurate shots.
through a translator. “I pres- “In the very first round, I the count, but he didn’t pro- bantamweight final in the his way to a victory by unani-
sured myself, and I did it.” received the left hook from test much when the referee same arena. Donaire sur- mous decision.
Inoue added Donaire’s WBC Nonito, and that punch made stopped the bout. prised much of the boxing In the rematch, Inoue wasted
belt to his own WBA and IBF me wake up and made me fo- Donaire, who will turn 40 world with his tenacious per- no time or energy in finish-
118-pound straps with his cus for this fight,” Inoue said. later this year, was stopped formance against his young- ing his Filipino-American
fourth consecutive stoppage After a short left hand put for only the second time in er, favored opponent. opponent. Donaire has held
victory. Donaire on wobbly legs in his career. He had claimed Inoue later revealed his or- world titles in four divisions
The Japanese star known as the center of the ring early in the WBC bantamweight title bital bone had been broken during his 21-year profes-
“Monster” is considered one the second round, Inoue fin- a year ago with a victory over by Donaire’s left hook in the sional career, while Inoue has
of the world’s top pound-for- ished him in the corner with Nordine Oubaali. second round, and he fought been a world champion in
pound talents. Inoue hopes a right-left combination that Inoue and Donaire first met through the first facial cut three weight classes.q
to unify all four major ban- dropped Donaire to his back in November 2019 in the of his career to knock down
tamweight titles if he can on the canvas. Donaire beat World Boxing Super Series Donaire in the 11th round on

Figure skating minimum age rises to 17 before 2026 Olympics

PHUKET, Thailand (AP) by her coach, Eteri Tutberid-
— No 15-year-old figure ze.
skaters will be allowed The ISU drafted an age-limit
to compete at the 2026 proposal saying “burnout,
Olympics following the disordered eating, and long-
controversy surrounding term consequences of injury”
Russian national champi- were a risk to young teen-
on Kamila Valieva at this age skaters who are pushed
year’s Beijing Games. to perform more quadruple
jumps.
A new age limit for figure The decision was criticized
skaters at senior international in Russia, where skaters are
events was passed Tuesday currently banned by the ISU
by the International Skating from international competi-
Union in a 110-16 vote that tions because of the country’s
will raise the minimum age military invasion of Ukraine.
to 17 before the next Winter “I think it was done to more
Olympics in Milan-Cortina or less even out the compe-
d’Ampezzo, Italy. tition, so that our Russian
“This is a very important de- female skaters couldn’t have
cision,” ISU president Jan the opportunity to win world
Dijkema said. “I would say a championship, European,
very historic decision.” Olympic medals,” Dmitri
The limit will be phased in Soloviev, a team event gold
with 15-year-olds continu- medalist for Russia at the
ing to be allowed to compete It should disrupt the career at the Beijing Olympics was train under intense scrutiny 2014 Sochi Olympics, told
next season, a minimum age of top Russian junior So- dominated by the emotional as a Court of Arbitration for broadcaster Match TV.
of 16 in the 2023-24 season, fia Akateva, who is 14. Her stress put on the 15-year-old Sport hearing was prepared “But in my opinion Eteri Tut-
rising to 17 the season after, birthday in July falls days Valieva. She was the favorite that allowed her to compete beridze will find a way to get
which is the last before the after the July 1 deadline to to take individual gold, after pending the full investigation our athletes into ideal condi-
Olympics. classify skaters’ ages for the helping the Russians win the in Russia. That is still ongo- tion at the age of 17 or 18,”
The ISU said the new rule upcoming season, though for team title, before her positive ing. Soloviev said, “so that they
was “for the sake of protect- the 2026 Olympics she will doping test from December However, her main routine can show their best results at
ing the physical and mental be 18 and able to compete. was belatedly revealed during was filled with errors and she international competitions at
health, and emotional well- The change was coming the Olympics. dropped to fourth place. She that age in particular.”q
being of the skaters.” even before figure skating The teenager was allowed to was then criticized rink-side