NONITO Donaire Jr.?s elaborate entrance for his fight against Zsolt Bedak lasted longer than the fight itself. After he was introduced, Donaire got into the ring and launched into a series of break dances that had most of the fans thinking, ?Is he freakin? serious? What if he?d really break something??
Then he took off his gloves and threw it to the ground, that?s when I knew it wasn?t the real Nonito. Ryan Songalia of Rappler told me that it was some dead-ringer for The Filipino Flash. Moments later, the real Filipino Flash entered the ring with Andrew E rapping, ?Kung kaya nako, kaya nimo.? It?s been the theme of his statements to the public ever since he arrived in Cebu.
In the first round, both fighters seemed cautious but it was obvious the former Olympian Bedak was way in over his head. In the second, Donaire Jr. introduced Bedak to his left hand and the Hungarian who vowed that he would go the distance went down, twice.
In the closing seconds of Round 2, it seemed he?d be down for the count but was saved by the bell. The brief rest didn?t do him much good as he wouldn?t even last a minute in the third round, kissing a left and a right that would send him on one knee. He opted not to continue and the fight was waived off at 2:44 of the third.
To be fair, Bedak never ran away from trouble, unlike a few main-event visitors we?ve had in the past who vow to fight but wear their running shoes on fight night.
The fans sure got their money?s worth with that action-packed second round and the Filipino Flash made sure to thank the fans personally, even grabbing the microphone away from announcer Ted Lerner as the people in the grandstand were heading for the exit.
However impressive Donaire?s three-round demolition of Bedak was, the fight of the night belonged to Mark Magsayo and Chris Avalos, a match they billed as one between a Man and a Boy, a fighter between a kid.
Boy, did the kid teach the man a lesson.
During the pre-fight media events, veteran writers who?ve seen Avalos fight all asked Mark, ?I?ve seen this guy fight, he?s dangerous, are you sure about this??
In Round 2, Magsayo rocked Avalos but fell short of a knockout. In round 3, he got knocked down for the first time in his career but showing resolve that belies his young age, he fought on and rocked Avalos so hard in Round 5 that the doctor had to be called in.
In Round 6, Magnifico Magsayo finally answered the media?s query, ?Yep, I?m sure,? when he forced the referee to step in. The kid has just become a man.
But from now on, call him Kid Magnifico.
