Legendary multi champion Nonito “Filipino Flash” Donaire will have a mandatory World Boxing Council bantamweight title defense against undefeated Reymart “Assassin” Gaballo on Saturday December 11 at Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson, California.
Nonito (41-6, 27 KO`s) will arrive as the oldest man. Nonito won the title at age thirty-eight by defeating overwhelming champion Nordine Oubaali, knocking him down twice with his trademark left hook in the third and then knocking him down with a left hook in the fourth. He is living his third reign as a bantamweight champion. As Nonito triumphantly declared: “The King has returned!”
Nonito, now thirty-nine years old, has been a professional boxer for twenty extraordinary years, is a world champion in four divisions, from flyweight to featherweight.
The list of boxers he has defeated includes Victor Darchinyan twice, Fernando Montiel, Jorge Arce, Wilfredo Vazquez Jr, Omar Andres Narvaez, Jeffrey Mathebula, Toshiaki Nishioka and Stephon Young.
But, one of Nonito’s biggest fights was against Naoya “Monster” Inoue, who retained his WBA and IBF bantamweight titles via UD, and also won the WBSS Muhammad Ali Trophy. But … he had to make a titanic effort and fight like never before in his life to achieve it. Nonito slashed him over the right eye with a short left hook in the second round, and then made him suffer a nosebleed.
Naoya, who is slimmer, used his dazzling speed and firepower to win. His youth was forceful in the final three rounds, so much so that after a torrid 10th round, he dropped the robust but tired veteran in the 11th inning with a lightning bolt to the liver. Nonito, who walked away suffered a painful delayed reaction, before bravely getting down and up, he had to use all his experience, conditioning and steadfast courage to survive the ensuing typhoon.
Such was Naoya’s level of respect, that after the final bell, he approached Nonito’s corner where “Flash” was sitting sensibly, and knelt in front of him to give him a second hug of admiration and deep respect. Naoya later revealed that he suffered a fractured nose and right eye socket. Fortunately, neither of them needed surgery.
Nonito, is still a force of nature to be reckoned with. He can fight fiercely and box beautifully. You can operate effectively with your back foot or your front foot. Lead or kickback. His power is still there since some of him has amassed a lot of accumulated boxing wisdom. However, he is fourteen years older than Reymart Gaballo, who turned pro in 2014. His record is 24-0, with 20 KO`s.
Reymart, who always likes to show up, did well to win the WBA interim bantamweight title against left-hander Stephon Young, knocking him down in the third and winning via UD. Nonito defeated Young for the WBC diamond and WBA bantamweight titles.
More recently and just prior to this next fight, Reymart fought his way through a difficult test against former IBF champion Emmanuel Rodriguez to win the vacant WBC Interim belt. Rodriguez, who had previously been knocked out by Inoue, regrouped to prove himself a worthy opponent, counterattacking economically but effectively. Reymart’s uninterrupted aggression earned him a split decision. Hopefully you’ve smoothed out some of its rough edges too. Rodriguez moved a lot, using silky defensive skills against Reymart, but in contrast, Nonito will actively seek him out and apply much more intense and attacking pressure.
The Reymart team is channeling their natural power, which is a considerable and marked asset, combined with their relative youth. But, he must strike more decisively and hone his boxing skills, because Nonito would mercilessly punish any style mistake.
Reymart has to use that strength and stamina to try to drag Nonito into the deeper waters of later rounds, where his youth can prove decisive. For his part, Nonito must strictly use his boxing chair and wisely apply his power, especially that famous left hook, to make a forceful impact.
It’s a contest that rightly balances the vitality and strength of youth against the wisdom and subtlety of experience intertwined with a dose of the power of longevity. It is not often that two Filipinos fight each other for a world title. The pride this will generate will make it even more exciting.
Another Filipino, John Riel Casimero, the WBO bantamweight champion, was scheduled to fight Nonito in August, but at the end of June, these plans fell through.
Has the opportunity for Reymart arrived very soon or will Nonito give us another great performance that he has in store in his repertoire? Not much to wait and see!
