MANILA, Philippines – Newly crowned WBO superbantamweight champion Nonito Donaire Jr. suffered no major injuries in hammering out a win over Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. via a split 12-round decision at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, last weekend.
Results from X-Rays and an MRI taken in Los Angeles the other day showed no serious damage in Donaire?s left hand which was bruised and bloodied after he claimed the vacant WBO 122-pound belt. The X-Rays revealed no fractures and no broken bones. Skin tear caused the bleeding in the knuckles. Donaire?s wife Rachel said the knuckles were scraped from the pounding that Vazquez absorbed.
There was apprehension that Donaire was seriously injured when the wraps on his left hand were stained in blood after he removed his gloves in the ring. The left hand was also swollen.
After the X-Rays, Donaire went in for an MRI to check the condition of his muscles, ligaments and tendons in the left hand. Again, the results were negative for major damage. The hand was bruised but that was no surprise considering the punishment Donaire administered. Donaire staggered Vazquez with a left uppercut and dropped him with a left hook in the ninth round to score the bout?s only knockdown. He said he hurt his left hand between the second and fourth rounds, probably in the third when he repeatedly pummelled Vazquez who was trapped in a corner.
Donaire said he expects the healing period or ?downtime? to take about three weeks. They are now in Las Vegas. He and his wife plan a trip to Manila before the end of the month but nothing is final at the moment. As Donaire previously said, there will be no delay in the schedule of his next fight, likely against former WBO superbantamweight titlist Jorge Arce of Mexico.
In an interview before the Vazquez fight, Top Rank chairman Bob Arum said the plan is to set up three more bouts for Donaire this year. ?Nonito?s upside is tremendous,? said Arum. ?We wanted to do his next fight at the new Mall of Asia arena but I understand it won?t be ready so maybe, we?ll do a fight there later this year.?
The roadmap shows a fight against Arce, possibly in May, somewhere in the US southwest then a match against WBC champion Toshiaki Nishioka in Las Vegas, maybe in September. The Manila fight could be against WBA titleholder Guillermo Rigondeaux of Cuba in December.
Donaire, 29, said he?d like to build up more muscle and unify the superbantamweight championship.
Arum said a Donaire-Nishioka fight would be a draw in Las Vegas. ?Nishioka was impressive in beating Rafael Marquez in Las Vegas last October and I think the fans would like to see him take on Nonito,? he said. ?Nishioka isn?t just an attraction in Japan. I think a Donaire-Nishioka fight will sell in Las Vegas.?
Arce, 32, looms as Donaire?s next opponent. He wrested the WBO superbantamweight crown from Vazquez on a 12th round stoppage last May but relinquished the throne after one defense. Last November, Arce dropped down a division to capture the vacant WBO bantamweight crown. The Mexican has now won world titles in five divisions, including the interim flyweight championship. His record is 59-6-2, with 45 KOs, compared to Donaire?s 28-1, with 18 KOs. To stay active, Arce battles Venezuela?s Lorenzo Parra in a 10-round tune-up in Mexico City on Feb. 18.
Nishioka, 35, has reigned as WBC champion since January 2009. So far, he has turned back six challengers in raising his record to 39-4-3, with 24 KOs. Rigondeaux, 31, is a left-handed, two-time Olympic gold medalist with a record of 9-0, with 7 KOs. Donaire said he?ll fight whomever his manager Cameron Dunkin and Arum put in front of him.
