Nonito Donaire Jr., a former four-division boxing champion, marked his return to the boxing scene by winning the interim World Boxing Association (WBA) bantamweight title against Andres Campos in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on June 15, 2025. The match concluded with a technical unanimous decision due to a head clash that left Donaire with a cut above his right eye, resulting in impaired vision.

At the time of the stoppage, the scorecards favored Donaire at 87-84, 87-84, and 88-83.

Donaire’s victory halted a two-fight losing streak, improving his professional record to 43 wins, including 23 by knockout, against 8 losses.

This win marks Donaire's first since December 2021, when he defended his WBC bantamweight title successfully against Reymart Gaballo.

His immediate prior bouts included a knockout defeat to Naoya Inoue in June 2022 and a decision loss to Alexandro Santiago in July 2023, which had placed him in a challenging position for his career.

The 42-year-old fighter had spent nearly two years away from the ring due in part to a canceled fight against Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez and a recovery period following a car accident in March 2025. In his comeback fight against Campos, a former flyweight contender with a record of 17-3-1, Donaire faced challenges early in the match, including a clash of heads in the first round that affected both fighters.

Despite these difficulties, Donaire demonstrated resilience as he regained composure and began effectively utilizing his punches, particularly his right hand and left hook, around the second round.

Campos had notable moments, particularly in the fourth round, yet Donaire continued to assert dominance, effectively pressing the action and landing significant body shots throughout the fight.

A subsequent head-clash in the sixth round prompted warnings to both fighters from the referee.

In the eighth round, following Donaire's brief trip to the canvas, he responded strongly with a right hand just before the round concluded.

The contest was ultimately halted in the ninth round when a further clash resulted in a severe cut over Donaire's right eyelid, leading the ringside physician to advise the referee to stop the bout.

With this victory, Donaire has become the mandatory challenger for the primary WBA bantamweight title, currently held by Antonio Vargas, who will defend his title against Daigo Higa on July 30, 2025, in Japan.

Donaire's legacy as a boxer remains significant; he is recognized as a likely future inductee into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, having previously held titles across the flyweight, bantamweight, junior featherweight, and featherweight divisions.

His historic achievements include becoming the oldest bantamweight titleholder in November 2018 and again in May 2021. Despite facing recent setbacks, Donaire's team decided last year on a final attempt for championship glory.

This victory, albeit not concluded in the manner typically associated with a decisive win, provides him with a renewed opportunity in the sport he has profoundly impacted.