(December 1, 2007) Mashantucket, Connecticut (Foxwoods Casino)
One of boxing’s best young champions was back at work and he left little doubt that he is one of the rising stars in the sport in 2007.
The winner of the Upset of the Year” award when he leveled Vic Darchinyan, IBF flyweight king Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire returned to the ring to make his first title defense and he scored a bloody 8th round TKO over Mexico’s Luis Maldonado.
The 7 to 1 underdog, who scored a electrifying 5th round TKO over the heavily favored Darchinyan last July, came out blazing against the switch-hitting Maldonado; opening cuts over both of the challenger’s eyes in the second round. Maldonado repeatedly returned fire but Donaire’s power proved unstoppable and he dropped the challenger near the end of the 7th, after connecting with a hard uppercut followed by a scalding left hook to the chin.
Cut and bleeding Maldonado was able to beat the count and survive the round, however, in the 8th, Donaire unloaded another pushing volley of leather and referee Charles Dwyer finally waved off the carnage with the challenger still upright but in no condition to continue at the 1:16 mark.
“I couldn’t move very well tonight,” Donaire said after the victory. “My legs just weren’t there. So I relied on upper body movement and counter punching. I knew Maldonado was tough. He’s a great fighter and he has a lot of courage. I respect him and his effort tonight.”
Japan’s Takefumi Sakata holds the WBA flyweight crown, while his countryman Daisuke Naito has the WBC belt, but Donaire admitted that he would like to hold all of the 112-pound crowns.
“I would like to unify,” Donaire confided. “I respect Manny Pacquiao. He’s a great champion. But I want to be the first fighter from the Philippines to unify titles.”
–Pinoy Power–
The 25-year-old Donaire (19-1, 12 KO’s) displayed the same skill that allowed him to claim the crown and in the 1st, he clocked the hard charging Maldonado (37-2-1, 28 KO’s) with a classic counter left hook that rocketed off of the challenger’s chin.
At the 2:37 mark of the 2nd, Donaire (111) drilled the challenger with a long overhand right that exploded off of Maldonado’s face and opened a cut near his left eye. Moments later, Donaire, San Leadro, California via Talibon, Bohol, Philippines blasted the challenger with another searing right hand to the head that jolted Maldonado, Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico and the blow rocked him back on his heels. The challenger switched to a southpaw stance but Donaire answered with a left hook on the button and within moments blood began trickling from near his right eye. By the end of the 2nd, blood was curling down both sides of the challenger’s face and splattered across the champion’s chest.
To his credit, Maldonado displayed bravery and he willingly traded leather but his skill set did not match up with the talented young Filipino, as he repeatedly scored with well-timed shots that richochtted off of Maldonado’s profile.
Nevertheless, the challenger landed several hard left hooks that caught Donaire flush on the jaw in the 4th, but the champion continued return fire with the heavier artillery. With his father and trainer urging him to shift his attack downstairs, Donaire hurt the challenger in the 5th, after connecting with a long right hand to the belly that doubled Maldonado up.
–Show Stopper–
Donaire continued to tattoo the challenger with withering blasts and despite Maldonado’s gallant effort the champion’s power began wearing down the bloody Mexican down in the seventh round. With 40-seconds to go in the round, Donaire tagged Maldonado with a clean counter left hook that again rocketed off of the challenger’s jawbone.
Blood continued to flow from both of his cuts and with 11-seconds to go in the 7th, Donaire hurt Maldonado with two more hard lefts to the face and a wicked right uppercut to the chin. The last punch staggered the challenger and as he tried to retreat Donaire dropped Maldonado with a whip-like overhand left hook fired from above that caught the bloody Mexican on the jawbone. Maldonado crumbled to the canvas on his left side but he somehow managed to stagger to his feet at the count of three.
The knockdown marked only the second time that Maldonado had been dropped in his ten year pro career and he managed to remain upright while Dwyer gave him the mandatory eight?count. The bell sounded to end the round and Maldonado returned to his corner with blood smeared all over his face and chest, as the crowd roared in appreciation of the gruesome fireworks.
The diagonal cut over Maldonado’s left eye continued to flow and a river of dark red blood was clearly visible at the sound of the bell to open the 8th round. Prior to the beginning of the round, however, the referee signaled for the ringside doctor to examine the nasty gash but the physician let the action resume.
Donaire hurt the challenger early in the 8th, with two more stunning left hooks to the face and Maldonado retreated to the ropes. With 2:09 to go in the round and Maldonado trapped against the ropes, Donaire unloaded a viscous volley but the referee allowed the beating to continue. Blood cascaded down both sides of the challenger’s face and after cornering Maldonado for the final time the champion connected with a thundering left hook to the body and Dwyer had finally seen enough.
Luis Maldonado was still on his feet but standing in a puddle of his own blood, as Nonito Donaire calmly raised his gloves in triumph leaving little doubt that the victorious Filipino was still king of the flyweights.
