NONITO Donaire Jr.?s successful third title defense lived up the billing to the hilt?the match was over in a flash as his furious left hook finished off challenger Raul Martinez.
Donaire retained his International Boxing Federation (IBF) and International Boxing Organization (IBO) flyweight belts with a fourth-round stoppage of Martinez in the match, dubbed as ?The Flash and the Furious,? on Sunday afternoon at the Araneta Coliseum.
The 26-year-old Donaire connected with a staggering left hook that floored the previously unbeaten Mexican in their scheduled 12-round world title match watched by the appreciative crowd, including former President Joseph Estrada, who turned 72 yesterday.
The win was the 21st for Donaire, 14 via knockout, but could be his last in the 112-lb class as his promoter, Bob Arum of the Top Rank Promotions, is considering moving him up in weight for his next fight.
But for now, the San Leandro, California-based boxer just wants to cherish the victory after waiting for more than five months to defend his title, his first on home soil.
?I was nervous when I was in the dugout but when I stepped into the ring, I got my confidence back because I felt the support of the Filipinos sa puso ko kaya lalo akong lumakas,? said Donaire, who hails from Talibon, Bohol.
And he immediately showed that confidence after flooring Martinez, known as ?La Cobrita,? twice in the first round, the last was a left uppercut that sent the Mexican back to the canvas before the bell saved the challenger from an early exit.
Donaire was on attack mode again in the second round and knocked down Martinez with a wide left hook to the head.
Despite flooring Martinez thrice early, Donaire admitted he was still cautious of the Mexican-American, who entered the ring with a perfect 24-win no-loss record and 14 via knockout.
?Raul had a big punch and I felt it,? said Donaire, who weighed in 111.5 lb for his third title defense.
But that big punch came from the defending champion in the fourth round?a vicious left hook that sent Martinez to the canvas for the fourth time and referee Pete Podgorski had to stop the fight at 2:42 mark of the round.
Martinez quickly stood up and wanted to continue fighting but the American referee said it was enough.
?As a fighter, you?ll always want to continue the fight but you?ll never know, he?ll probably hurt me more. Things happen for a reason,? said Martinez, a Mexican who was born in San Antonio, Texas.
?Now, it?s my first loss and it showed that I?m not invincible. But I fought a true champion. He?s stronger, really faster and a good counterpuncher. I?m a big fan of him now,? he added.
And so was Arum, who now plans to give Donaire a mega-buck fight for his next bout, probably in the 115-lb class where he could face the winner of the fight between Fernando Montiel and Eric Morel on June 27.
?It?s economics. The Mexican and Puerto Rican fighters have a solid fan base,? said Arum, who ruled out the possible rematch with Vic Darchinyan, whom Donaire defeated in an upset fifth-round technical knockout victory to clinch the IBF flyweight title.
?Darchinyan in now in the rear-view mirror. He cannot even draw fireflies from the garbage dump,? said the famous promoter, who also handles the fights of Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao.
Viloria shocks Solis Hawaii-born Filipino fighter Brian Viloria returned to the boxing limelight with an 11th-round knockout of defending champion Ulises Solis of Mexico to snatch the IBF junior-flyweight crown, to end a three-year search of a title.
Viloria, a member of the US team in the 2000 Sydney Olympics, connected with a powerful right straight to Solis?s jaw, to win at 2:56 in the 11th. Solis had beaten three Filipino fighters in his last three matches.
?He?s not a Filipino executioner no more,? the Filipino-American boxer told the crowd. ?This is more for you guys and to do it right here, I trained doubly hard for this because everybody thinks that I didn?t have the heart but I showed it tonight.?
Viloria?s win ended Solis?s eight-straight title defense of the 108-lb title and the Fil-Am boxer known as ?Hawaiian Punch? improved his record to 25 wins (15 KO) with two losses and the same number of draws.
?Archie [Solis] was a great champion and I?m glad to take the title from him,? said the 28-year-old Viloria, whose next foe could be the undefeated Ivan Calderon of Puerto Rico.
Viloria took the first five rounds with ease, punishing the Mexican with combinations to the head and body. Solis suffered a cut above his right eye in the fifth round.
The boxer from Guadalajara, Mexico, was also meted a point deduction in the fifth for a low blow. The Vigan City-born Viloria unleashed a right hook to floor Solis and forced referee Bruce MacTavish to stop the fight.
?Brian deserves a tremendous amount of credit,? said Arum of the former WBC super-flyweight champ. ?Every Filipino should be proud of him and his trainer [Rober Garcia] did a wonderful job in preparing Brian for this fight.?
In another title bout, Denver Cuello stopped Japanese Hiroshi Matsumoto of Japan to take the vacant World Boxing Council international minimumweight crown. The 22-year-old Cuello delivered a right uppercut to stop the Japanese in the fourth round.
Drian Franciso also prevailed against Shahril Fabanyo of Indonesia via second-round TKO, while Sonny Boy Jaro scored an easy first-round stoppage over Yukka Gejon of Cebu.
