Nonito Donaire is determined to secure a date and opponent to fight after watching his former rival Naoya Inoue stop Ramon Cardenas.

Donaire was present at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena when Inoue and Cardenas contested the undisputed junior-featherweight title in what is certain to be considered one of the fights of the year.

At the weigh-in – the Filipino was being employed as a broadcaster – Donaire told BoxingScene of his interest in fighting Takuma Inoue, Naoya’s 29-year-old younger brother, but speaking post-fight he insists he has little desire to prioritise anyone specific, and instead is focused on fighting on any of the 118lbs champions.

It was while interviewing Inoue at that same weigh-in and while watching Inoue-Cardenas that Donaire – 42 and who provided the Japanese icon with one of his toughest tests in 2019 before being stopped by him in two rounds in their rematch three years later – again felt an increased desire to fight, and post-fight he told BoxingScene: “Watching the fight definitely, definitely lifted me into another realm of wanting to be in the ring again.

“Sitting next to Inoue in the interview gave me a feeling of, ‘I want to get back in there’. But that’s just the energy that I have and always carry. 

“I want to fight everybody. If I could get in line to fight [Naoya] Inoue again, hell yeah, I’d be up there, and I’d probably make it exciting. I got caught the last time and that was it, but I got up as many times as possible. If the ref didn’t stop it I’d keep getting up – that’s just the way I am.

“But if there’s an opportunity like that, I’d fight anybody at bantamweight. This is where I belong, this is where I am, and this is where I’m gonna be fighting at. Just, getting the belts – that type of fight all over again.

“As soon as they give me a fight, I’ll be ready.”

Donaire, who has previously won world titles at flyweight, bantamweight and junior featherweight, wants to again win a version of the bantamweight title before using it to secure a unification showdown with the WBC champion Junto Nakatani, 27 and who is expected to be matched with Inoue in 2026.

“I’m gonna go for the champions,” he continued. “I’m always gonna go for the champions. Any of the WBA, WBO and IBF champions – the last guy is the toughest guy, which is the WBC [champion Junto] Nakatani. That’s the game plan in my head. 

“I’ll have as many fights as possible. I’m just grateful that I’m able to compete; I’m still able to fight well, and I still have all my faculties; everything that a normal person can do. So if I can do it for as long as I can, definitely, I’ll be there. 

“As long as I’m competing and able to compete with guys and beat the champions, or compete with them, ‘You know what? I’m gonna stay as long as I can’. Because at the end of the day time might just say, ‘You know what? You don’t have it anymore’. Or it might be my emotion – I get tired of it. Right now I’m just eager and excited to be there.”