Overview
- Official scorecards read 116-112 for Donaire with the other two at 115-113 and 117-111 for Tsutsumi.
- Donaire, 43, rocked the champion with a heavy fourth-round uppercut before Tsutsumi rallied late and nearly scored a twelfth-round knockdown.
- The bout headlined a world-title tripleheader at Tokyo’s Ryogoku Kokugikan on Dec. 17.
- Tsutsumi remained unbeaten at 13-0-3 with 8 KOs and recorded his second successful WBA title defense.
- The WBA’s preexisting mandate requires Tsutsumi to face Antonio Vargas next, with the matchup due inside four months.