Former world champion Luis 'Pantera' Nery was a very interested party in the recent bantamweight unification between Naoya Inoue and Nonito Donaire, who collided in the final bout of the World Boxing Super Series tournament.
Inoue dropped and won a twelve round unanimous decision over Donaire to unify the IBF, WBA bantamweight belts.
Nery is now in line to fight Frenchman Nordine Oubaali for the WBC bantamweight crown.
Donaire did much better than most experts had previously anticipated.
He landed his fair share of punches and hurt Inoue in the ninth round. Inoue was able to recover and dropped Donaire with a vicious body shot in the eleventh round.
Nery is not chasing a fight with Inoue, but he's willing to fight him at any time. He felt Inoue may have underestimate Donaire due to age and declining physical abilities.
"It's really not that I'm looking for him, but I have no problem if the fight goes ahead, and if not I am also fine. If they tell me we're going with Inoue, I'm fine either way - but the fight has to take place, it is not an obsession nor am I begging for that fight, I am also a top level fighter... if he wants the fight - here I am," Nery said to ESPN Deportes.
"I think that they underestimated Nonito, they thought he was not going to do anything, but it was a good fight, I liked it. All the fighters come in there scared thinking that Inoue is a monster, that the punches hurt. Nonito climbed in there throwing punches, combinations, he pressed him and Inoue did not know what to do.. in round nine [Donaire] hurt him, but then he couldn't get to him."
ADD COMMENT VIEW COMMENTS (14)