Nonito Donaire Jr.?s recent decision win over Jeffrey Mathebula for the World Boxing Organization (WBO) and International Boxing Federation (IBF) super bantamweight (122 pounds) titles would have been readily acceptable if the ?Filipino Flash? is not considered one of the elite fighters in pro boxing today.
Donaire made a smashing leap to boxing?s pound-for-pound plateau in February 2011, when he annihilated Mexican Fernando Montiel in two rounds for the World Boxing Council (WBC) and World Boxing Organization (WBO) bantamweight (118 pounds) crowns. Then again, making it to the pound-for-pound list is one thing; staying in it is another matter. The burden a pound-for-pound fighter carries on his shoulders is no joke as he is expected to blast opponents into smithereens every time he steps into the squared circle.
For the record, Donaire won by a lopsided margin and sent Mathebula back to South Africa with a souvenir in the form of a broken jaw. Then again, considering that Mathebula displayed the killer instinct of a nun, many believe the fight should not have lasted the full 12-round distance.
Donaire almost pulled down the curtains down on Mathebula when he floored the latter in the dying seconds of the fourth round with a vicious left hook. A visibly woozy Mathebula was saved by the bell but it seemed the end was near. Fortunately for Mathebula, Donaire?s eagerness to get a knockout victory resulted in several strategic lapses.
After scoring the knockdown, Donaire went headhunting, resembling a baseball player bent on scoring an instant homerun instead of going through the bases. Donaire?s strength lies not on the sheer power of his left hook but on the way he meticulously breaks down his foes before delivering the kill. Donaire is a thinking fighter, not a caveman. He is the type of fighter who takes out his foes brick by brick before unleashing the wrecking ball that will reduce them into ashes.
The thought of electrifying the crowd with an over-the-top knockout clearly got the better of Donaire against Mathebula. As it turned out, Mathebula busted his jaw after the fourth round knockdown. If Donaire had been more patient and invested time on putting his punches together, not to mention digging in a few body blows, Mathebula would have taken the count.
By going after Mathebula?s scalp like a bull on a steroid overdose, Donaire even exposed himself to danger. On the occasions when he recklessly lunged at Mathebula and threw wild haymakers, Donaire exposed his chin to a counterpunch from the South African. As the fight reached the middle rounds, though, Mathebula became more interested in surviving the distance.
All reports indicate that Donaire?s next fight may happen in October against four-time Mexican world champion Jorge Arce. Arce, 60-6 with 46 knockouts, is a no-holds barred brawler who always comes to fight. The Mexican relishes a phone booth slugfest; a punchaton.
Donaire, 29-1, 20 knockouts, figures to be more at ease against Arce, whose brawling style is custom-made for the Filipino. Unlike in the Mathebula fight where Donaire was forced to leave his comfort zone and play the role of the aggressor, the Filipino Flash will be in his typical boxer-counterpuncher mode against Arce. Arce is the type of fighter who will give Donaire the opportunity to display his ring wizardry in full.
Donaire will just have to learn to relax and let his natural fistic talent flow. To his credit, the Filipino Flash acknowledged his shortcomings in the Mathebula fight and vowed to come back stronger. Hopefully, he will come back wiser, too.
