Naoya Inoue stopped Nonito Donaire midway through the second round of their rematch in Tokyo to unify three of the four bantamweight world titles.
Inoue’s emphatic victory over Donaire – a man he had previously beaten via unanimous decision in 2019 – ensured he retained the WBA and IBF belts and ripped the WBC strap from his rival.
England’s Paul Butler holds the WBO bantamweight title.
Japanese boxer Inoue knocked down Filipino Donaire at the end of the first round with a right hand and then again in the second with a right-left combination.
Inoue extended his record to 23-0, with 20 knockouts, after a fourth consecutive win inside the distance.
Donaire beat the count but the referee deemed him in no fit state to continue with the contest ending almost 90 seconds into the second round.
The pair’s initial fight three years ago was much more competitive.
Inoue said his eye socket had been broken by Donaire’s left hook in the second round and he then fought through facial cuts to knock down his rival in the 11th round en route to a points win.
