Throughout the storied history of boxing, great match-ups have always produced great fighters. When reviewing the career of four-division world champion Nonito Donaire, the time tested adage seems to hold true.
The pound for pound fighter initially splashed onto the boxing scene on July 7th, 2007 after destroying previously undefeated Vic Darchinyan with one tremendous left hook that forever stayed in the consciousness of the collective fight nation.
While solidifying his brand as one of the best young fighters in boxing with big wins over Luis Maldonado, Raul Martinez, Hernan Marquez, and Wladimir Sidorenko, the hard punching “Filipino Flash” didn’t fully garner pound for pound consideration until he stopped top rated Bantamweight Fernando Montiel with a devastating hook that left more than just a “lasting impression” on the HBO audience watching at home.
Since the breathtaking “2011 Knock-Out of the Year” performance, Donaire has been successful in winning the WBO and IBF Super Bantamweight titles against Wilfredo Vasquez Jr. and most recently Jeffrey Mathebula. Although Nonito decisively bested both combatants to win the two major world titles, many fight scribes have criticized both 2012 performances.
Nonito understands the criticism that comes with great expectation. “Even though I won two world titles while competing in a higher weight division by defeating Vazquez and Mathebula, I understand why many have been critical on both performances,” explains the four division world champion. “It comes with the territory of being considered a pound for pound fighter, and I’m fine with their evaluation. Trust me; I’m much more critical than anyone concerning my fights.”
“A lot of people expect me to knock-out every single opponent every time out, but at this level it just doesn’t happen that way…especially when you’re facing a world champions and you’re trying to take his title away.”
Pictured: Nonito Donaire celebrates his title-unifying win over Jeffrey Mathebula Courtesy of Chris Farina, Top Rank
Despite flooring the incumbent champion in the fourth round, breaking his jaw in the eleventh, and ultimately dominating the 5’11” South African fighter on all judges’ scorecards, many fight scribes described Donaire’s 122 pound unification effort as “lackluster” and “uninspired”.
While the scrutinizing comments from the mainstream fight media didn’t really surprise Nonito, the observations from the HBO commentary actually did. Although Mathebula’s landed shots were of minimal consequence and had very little impact on the outcome of the fight, Harold Lederman, Roy Jones Jr, Max Kellerman, and Bob Papa were heard throughout broadcast giving the visiting IBF Champ great credit for the number of punches landed and thrown.
HBO’s unofficial ringside scorer Harold Lederman had the fight scored 95-94, narrowly in favor of Donaire going into the championship rounds.
Pictured: WBO Jr. Featherweight champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire makes a guest appearance on “Naci?n ESPN.” Courtesy of Chris Farina, Top Rank
“I guess the HBO crew was just trying to make it closer than it actually was to build the drama of the event,” jokes Nonito Donaire. “I suppose the commentary has a lot of confidence in their punch stats rather than the old school mentality of evaluating a prizefight based on dominance and power or factors that are actually controlling action in the fight.”
“Prizefighting is not scored like an amateur fight. It’s not about how many punches you can throw and how many punches you can land. In amateur boxing you can play ‘patty-cake’ in the ring and still win the fight by outpointing your opponent.”
In the opinion of the official judges at ringside (119-108, 117-110, 118-109) as well as the vast majority watching the bout, Nonito clearly won the fight by landing the harder more impactful blows. According to “Compu-Box” statistics, Mathebula threw four hundred more punches and landed eighty more shots than the eventual winner, Nonito Donaire.
Pictured: Nonito Donaire, left, lands a left against Jeffrey Mathebula Courtesy of Chris Farina, Top Rank
“This is not the amateurs…this is the professional level. The fight is won on clean, effective punching.”
“The harder and more damaging shots always have more impact on the outcome of the fight and should be a more decisive factor to the commentators when analyzing the fight on air.”
While Nonito was content with the final result of the Super Bantamweight unification contest, he was not 100% satisfied with his performance. Donaire believes that a much bigger event against a higher profiled opponent ultimately brings out the best in the “Filipino Flash”.
“Mathebula and Vazquez were both really tough fighters and legitimate champions, but they weren’t recognized as the best fighters in the division going into the fight. When I know I am going into the ring against the best in boxing, I know I have to be at my best.” “Vic Darchinyan was considered to be unbeatable in the Flyweight division before our fight. He wasn’t just undefeated; Vic had never even hit canvas before I knocked him out. And last year when I faced Fernando Montiel, he was largely considered to be the number one Bantamweight in the world and had been brutalizing his opposition going into our HBO fight.”
“I need to face the best to bring out my best performances. When I face fighters who are considered to be the best, it inspires me to put forth my most focused effort. The best fighters are perceived that way because they take risks and attempt to be great. They know that great rewards come with the great risks. My fight with Darchinyan and Montiel could have easily gone the other way if they had landed their shots before mine. Every great fight with a great champion is a gamble. But that’s what the fight fans want to see and that’s what makes great fighters.”
Pictured: Nonito Donaire, far left in cap, greets fans Courtesy of Top Rank, Chris Farina
When discussing his future in the talent enriched Super Bantamweight division, Nonito Donaire believes there are several great fights that can be made.
“Both Jorge Arce and Cristian Mijares are extremely tough fighters who I think have the best chins in the division and would make for great events. Toshiaki Nishioka became the number one fighter in the division last year when he dominated Rafa Marquez to win the WBC title, and Guillermo Rigondeaux is a one of the most brilliant fighters in the sport.”
“Any one of those great fighters would bring out my best, and I want to fight each and every one of them. I want to beat the best in what a lot of fight fans consider to be the most competitive division in all of boxing.”
“With great risk comes great reward, and all four of these fighters would be a great risk to face in the ring.”
