1. Fernando Montiel
Skillful Mexican Montiel met Donaire in 2011 and suffered one of the most chilling KO defeats you’ll ever see, losing his bantamweight belts in the process. A single left hook did the job for Nonito in round two.
2. Vic Darchinyan I
This 2007 flyweight fight is remembered as Donaire’s breakout performance, with Darchinyan, the IBF belt-holder, 28-0 going in and a run of knockout wins behind him. Donaire, though, stopped him in five rounds.
3. Toshiaki Nishioka
In what was Nishioka’s final pro fight in 2012, the long-reigning former super-bantamweight titlist was unable to match Donaire and was cut down to size inside nine rounds.
4. Omar Andres Narváez
Argentina’s Narváez was undefeated in 37 pro fights when moving from super-fly to bantamweight to take on Donaire in 2011. Though lasting the distance, he didn’t win a round.
5. Jorge Arce
Mexican warrior Arce may have been a little long in the tooth when locking horns with Donaire in 2012 but he was also unbeaten in three years. Regardless, Donaire blitzed him in three rounds.
6. Nordine Oubaali
The biggest win of Donaire’s Indian summer, Oubaali was 17-0 when Donaire got hold of him and stopped him in six rounds earlier this year.
7. Volodymyr Sydorenko
Well-schooled Sydorenko had never been stopped before being blasted inside four rounds by Donaire in 2010.
8. Vic Darchinyan II
This wasn’t the same Darchinyan who faced Donaire first time around, yet Donaire’s ninth-round stoppage of him in 2013 came seven months after Nonito had lost against Guillermo Rigondeaux, so was much needed.
9. Moruti Mthalane
South Africa’s Mthalane challenged Donaire in 2008 only to find himself halted inside six rounds.
10. Ryan Burnett
A win with an asterisk, Donaire’s 2018 fight against Belfast’s Ryan Burnett ended with Burnett injuring his back and unable to continue after four rounds. It wasn’t conclusive, then, but the win did trigger Donaire’s recent resurgence.
Read our special feature with Rachel and Nonito Donaire here
