By Chris Williams: IBF/WBO super bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire (29-1, 18 KO’s) will be taking a break from fighting world champions to instead defend his titles against an ex-WBC super bantamweight champion in Toshiaki Nishioka (39-4-3, 24 KO’s) next month on October 13th at the Home Depot Center, in Carson, California, United States. This move seems to be a dodge around the other top fighters in the super bantamweight division in Abner Mares and Guillermo Rigondeaux, as both of which appears to be easily fighting at a higher level than the aging Nishioka right now.

Donaire claims he’s facing Nishioka because he sees him as the best fighter out there, but it’s hard to say that now because Nishioka has really aged recently and the division has new blood in Rigondeaux and Mares. I like Nishioka used to be a really good fighter, he’s definitely slipping. It’s like saying an aging Babe Ruth is still the top guy when he was near the end of his career. He might have been a decent player but not the top guy anymore near the end. I think this is just another way for Donaire to avoid fighting the arguably tougher Mares and Rigondeaux. At any event, eventually Donaire will run out of guys for him to fight and he’ll either have to fight Rigondeaux or Mares or move up in weight to featherweight.

I don’t see Nishioka winning on October 13th. He looked barely better than Rafael Marquez in his last fight, and Marquez is way past his prime. Nishioka really struggled in that fight and was taking some punishment near the end. That fight told me all I need to know about Nishioka and why he was selected to fight Donaire. He’s beatable and not someone that can upset the Donaire train. Nishioka will put in a good effort but lose 10 rounds to 2 or 9 rounds to 3 if he’s not knocked out.