When WBO super bantamweight champion Nonito ?The Filipino Flash? Donaire, Jr. (28-1-0, 18 KOs) engages IBF champion Jeffrey Mathebula (26-3-2, 14 KOs) in their title unification bout at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California on July 7, it would be the 5th year anniversary of his star-making Ring Magazine Knockout of the Year performance against Vic Darchinyan, otherwise known in the Donaire camp as “Ms. Vicky”.
It was 7-7-7. A then undefeated, top 10 pound-for-pound fighter Darchinyan was riding a 10-knockout win streak, and was looking to dispatch the second Donaire and add him to proverbial moosehead trophy collection of conquered foes. Less that a year prior, Darchinyan had stopped Nonito’s older brother Glenn in six rounds, and a broken jaw for a souvenir. Animosity was in the air, and plenty of barbs were exchanged between both fighters. Forget the belts, and the glory that came with a potential upset win against Darchinyan. All that 24-year-old Nonito cared about was to avenge his older brother’s loss, and how much hated the brash, trash-talking Australian-Armenian they call “The Raging Bull”.
It didn’t take long for Donaire to establish his gameplan. He had the hard-punching and unorthodox Darchinyan figured out. Donaire would fire his vicious left hook, to counter Darchinyan when he lunged in to set up and throw his own left. In the 5th round, Donaire did the improbable when he put Darchinyan on his butt for the first time in his career, where he struggled to pick himself up, and ultimately failed to beat the count.
A new Filipino boxing star was born.
So on 7-7-12, Donaire aims nothing less but another sensational knockout win against Mathebula and repeat history.
“A lot of things have happened since that fight. That definitely catapulted my career, and inspired me to keep on going and be the best I can be; that I belong with the best. I still have a lot of doubters, but I have a lot of supporters now too. I just want to make it sensational and excite the fans like I did 5 years ago,” Donaire told me.
Donaire is in for a tough test against the much taller Mathebula, who stand about 5 inches taller than him. The former Olympian has been in tough battles and more than held his own against the likes of Celestino Caballero and Tekalani Ndolovu, and is a formidable and proven champion.
