It would cruel, not to mention a trifle premature, to label Nonito Donaire the Filipino Flash In The Pan.
But it is time to start discussing his fistic flaws and to stop focusing on his haircut, his dazzling boxing booties and his wife’s cheekecake photo arrays.
Donaire was supposed to have a virtual walk in the park against now 13-4 Rafael Concepcion of Panama. Instead, there were some scary moments, when it looked like the budding Pinoy star was getting mugged.
Donaire improved to 21-1 with a 12 round unanimous decision over the Panamanian brawler.
The judges called it 117-111, 116-112 and 115-113 for Donaire.
My Examiner scorecard had it 116-112 for the kid from GenSan.
Donaire said he hurt a hand early in the fight.
“I fought a 122 pounder tonight,” Donaire said. “I want to fight the great Mexican fighters, Montiel and Arce although they are my friends.”
Concepcion was no gracious loser, saying, “If I knew it was a marathon, I would have run. I was expecting a real fight, a Filipino fighter, not a runner. I hoped he would have had more of a warrior’s heart and exchanged more.”
Maybe it’s time for Donaire to stop and mull over whether he should not keep moving up in weight and whether he might want to bring his father back as his trainer. No offense to the Penalosa Brothers, but this “Pinoy Power 2” PPV TV showcase staged by Top Rank exposed some gaping holes in Donaire’s armor.
Like what? Where do I begin?
Donaire’s footwork is herky jerky. When throwing punches, he often takes such a wide stance that he leaves himself open even for a plodding puncher like Concepcion. His punches also often go wide.
This was all show in the second round, with Donaire against the ropes, Concepcion nailed the taller man with two big, booming right hands. Seconds later, Concepcion, who failed to make the contracted weight of 115 by nearly five full pounds, hammered Donaire with a left hook.
Donaire’s right cheekbone was swollen after he got tagged with those solid shots.
Concepcion nailed Donaire with another booming right in the sixth round.
Concepcion did it again, speaing Donaire in the jaw with another big right hand, in the 11th round.
I don’t want to exaggerate here because, while Concepcion continually pressed, Donaire was landing a lot of punches while on the move and winning rounds by sheer volume if not wirth power.
Nobody expects pugilstic perfection from Donaire.
But, while he actually slipped to the canvas at the start of the final round, it’s the offensive and defensive slips I saw in the previous rounds which are an ongoing concern.
If Donaire is the superior world champion some claim him to be, then he doesn’t take an overmatched guy like Concepcion and turn him into such difficult work.
What was supposed to be a day at Boracay Beach almost became a sandstorm.
