Tsutsumi vs Donaire

Who won Tsutsumi vs Donaire?

Seiya Tsutsumi beat Nonito Donaire by split decision in their 12 round contest on Wednesday, December 17th, 2025, at Kokugikan, Tokyo.

The scorecards were announced as 116-112, 117-111, 115-113 in favor of winner Seiya Tsutsumi.

The fight was scheduled to take place over 12 rounds in the Bantamweight division, which meant the weight limit was 118 pounds (8.4 stone or 53.5 kg).

This contest was for the WBA bantamweight championship of the world.

Tsutsumi was making his 2nd defense of the WBA World Bantamweight Championship. He won this belt against Takuma Inoue in October 2024. He had held this belt for 1 year, 2 months and 25 days.

Also on the undercard Kyosuke Takami was defeated by Rene Santiago for the WBA World Light Flyweight and WBO World Junior Flyweight championship, and Anthony Olascuaga beat Taku Kuwahara for the WBO World Flyweight belt.

Tsutsumi vs Donaire stats

Seiya Tsutsumi stepped into the ring with an undefeated record of 12 wins, zero losses, and 3 draws.

Nonito Donaire made his way to the ring with a record of 43 wins, 8 losses and 0 draws.

Seiya Tsutsumi was the younger man by 13 years, at 30 years old.

Donaire had a 3-inch reach advantage.

Both Seiya Tsutsumi and Nonito Donaire fought out of an orthodox stance.

Tsutsumi was the less experienced professional fighter, having had 36 fewer fights, and made his debut in 2018, 17 years and 1 month later than Donaire, whose first professional fight was in 2001. He had fought 218 fewer professional rounds, totaling 114 compared to Donaire's 332.

Tsutsumi vs Donaire form

Tsutsumi remained undefeated as a professional, stopping 1 of his recent opponents.

In his last fight before this contest, he had drawn with Daigo Higa on February 24, 2025, by unanimous draw in their 12 round contest at Ariake Arena, Koto-Ku, Japan.

Prior to that, he had beaten Takuma Inoue on October 13, 2024, by unanimous decision in their WBA World Bantamweight championship fight at Ariake Arena, Tokyo.

Going into that contest, he had won against Weerawat Noolae on July 7, 2024, by technical knockout in the 4th round at Kokugikan, Tokyo.

Before that, he had beaten Kazuki Anaguchi on December 26, 2023, by unanimous decision in their 10 round contest at Korakuen Hall, Tokyo.

He had defeated Riku Masuda on August 30, 2023, by unanimous decision in their 10 round contest at Korakuen Hall, Tokyo.

Donaire had beaten 3 of his last 5 opponents, stopping 2 of them, going the distance once.

In his last fight leading up to this contest, he had won against Andres Campos on June 14, 2025, by unanimous decision in the 9th round in their WBA Interim World Bantamweight championship fight at Casino Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Prior to that, he had been beaten by Alejandro Santiago on July 29, 2023, by unanimous decision in their WBC World Bantamweight championship fight at T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, United States.

Going into that contest, he had lost to Naoya Inoue on June 7, 2022, by technical knockout in the 2nd round in their WBC World Bantamweight, WBA Super World Bantamweight and IBF World Bantamweight championship fight at Super Arena, Saitama, Japan.

Before that, he had won against Reymart Gaballo on December 11, 2021, by knockout in the 4th round in their WBC World Bantamweight championship fight at Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson, United States.

He had defeated Nordine Oubaali on May 29, 2021, by knockout in the 4th round in their WBC World Bantamweight championship fight at Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson.

Activity check

In terms of activity leading into the fight, Seiya Tsutsumi had been fighting more than Nonito Donaire.

Going into this contest, Seiya Tsutsumi had last fought 9 months and 23 days ago, while Nonito Donaire's last outing had been 6 months and 3 days ago.

Tsutsumi's last 5 fights had come over a period of 2 years, 3 months and 17 days, which means he had been fighting approximately every 5 months and 17 days. In those fights, he fought a total of 48 rounds, meaning that they had lasted 9.6 rounds on average.

Donaire's last 5 fights had come over a period of 4 years, 6 months and 18 days, meaning he had been fighting on average every 10 months and 28 days. In those fights, he fought a total of 31 rounds, meaning that they had lasted 6.2 rounds on average.

What time did Tsutsumi vs Donaire start?

The fighters were expected to ringwalk at around 12:00 PM UTC at Kokugikan, Tokyo, Japan, which was 7:00 AM EST or 4:00 AM PST on the West Coast of America, or 12:00 PM GMT in the UK.

What were the odds on Tsutsumi vs Donaire?

Seiya Tsutsumi was a 1/4 (-360) favorite going into the contest, while Nonito Donaire made his way into the ring at 29/10 (+260) with oddsmakers.