Donaire won the vacant WBO World super bantamweight title by grinding out a decision over unheralded but tough Cesar Juarez?
Friday night at Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in a fight televised live on TruTV, former multidivisional champion Nonito Donaire (36-3, 23 KOs), from San Leandro, California, by way of Talibon, Bohol, Philippines, won the vacant WBO World super bantamweight title by grinding out a 12-round decision over unheralded but tough Cesar Juarez (17-4, 14 KOs), from Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico.
The final scores were 117-109 and 116-110 twice, none of which indicate just how close the fight was.
The likeable Donaire took more of a beating than his opponent. His left eye began swelling and discoloring in round five. His right eyelid was cut in round seven and bled for the remainder of the fight. Nonito started strong. He dropped Juarez in the fourth, twice if one includes a trip that was ruled a knockdown, and it looked like Donaire was going to cruise to a victory.
But at the end of round six Donaire slipped and hurt his ankle which hampered his movement, the same movement which enabled him to win the first half of the fight. Unable to effectively use the ring, Donaire ineffectively used the ropes, which was an open invitation for Juarez to crowd him and land punches.
According to our scorecard, Juarez won rounds seven through 12. There were moments when Donaire countered effectively and stung his opponent, but he seemed unable to hurt Juarez or slow him down.
Some are calling the fight a robbery. It was close fight, but a robbery it was not. Nor was it pleasant watching 33-year-old Donaire take another beating. He had lost two of his last six fights going into tonight?s fight, to Guillermo Rigondeaux in 2013 and Nicholas Walters in 2014, and if the war of attrition against Juarez is any indication, there are more beatings and losses to come.
