WITH Nonito Donaire?s showdown against Japanese Toshiaki Nishioka just a couple of days away, excitement about this fight has ratcheted to an unprecedented level in the super-bantamweight division.
This weight class hasn?t seen this much talent bundled up together in recent years, and the result on Sunday will undoubtedly impact the rankings.
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Currently, the Ring Magazine has no champion for this weight category with Toshiaki ranked no. 1 while Donaire is at no. 3. The winner should arguably be crowned Ring division champ.
The talent in this 122lb weight category is so deep, you have to come up for air just admiring the competition.
Undefeated Guillermo Rigondeaux is at no. 2, while Thai legend Poonsawat Kratingdaenggymis at no. 4 with Abner Mares threatening at no. 6.
Though currently not ranked in the Ring top 10, you have know that the ever dangerous Vic Darchinyan is lurking somewhere near.
Former world champions Jorge Arce and Fernando Montiel also patrol these talent-infested bantam waters. ALA Gym?s Genesis Servania is ranked no. 10 in the WBO rankings.
And just the other day, we saw the resurgence of one of Donaire?s victims, former world champ Wilfredo Vasquez Jr. as he scored an impressive stoppage victory over fellow Puerto Rican prospect Jonathan Oquendo.
If things go as planned and Donaire beats Toshiaki, a few more fights with top-notch contenders at this talent-laded division, will confirm his status as the apex predator in the lower weights.
PACQUIAO AT SUPERBANTAM. Interestingly, it must be recalled that it was at this very same division that Manny Pacquiao first took a stab at fistic glory.
Most Pacquiao fans have etched in their memory that fateful night of June 2001, the splendid image of Pacquiao raining down blistering combinations on Lehlo Ledwaba en route to a 6th round stoppage for the IBF super bantamweight crown.
A late replacement for an injured opponent, Pacquiao proved to be an enigma to the South African champ who was clearly unprepared to fight a buzz-saw in the squared circle.
It was also in this weight class where Manny fought one of his hardest and toughest opponents to date, the late Agapito Sanchez.
Sanchez, was a no?nonsense brawler with a take-no-prisoners approach who did not hesitate to butt and foul Manny every chance he got. In one exchange, punched Manny?s upper leg which left the latter grimacing and writhing in pain.
The fight was declared a technical draw due to a nasty gash on the Pacman?s forehead which rendered him unfit to continue.
One judge had Agapito ahead by 2 points, while the other saw Pacquiao winning by 4 points. The third judge scored it even.
Manny would redeem himself in his next four fights with stoppage victories over Jorge Elicier Julio (TKO2) , Fahprakob Rahkiatgym (TKO1), Serizkhan Yesmagambetov (TKO5), and Emmanuel Lucero (TKO3).
The Lucero fight would prove to be his last as he moved up to featherweight and made a punching bag out of Marco Antonio Barrera. As they say, the rest is part of boxing lore and history.
Looks like Donaire has his work cut out for him if he aims to approximate Manny?s dominance at the super-bantamweight division.
VERBATIM. ?Sometimes when you are as religious as Pacquiao is, sometimes you almost feel like what goes around comes around and that might be the reason he wants to clear the Marquez slate, for certain and for sure?-Boxing trainer Naazim Richardson (www.doghouseboxing.com)
LAST ROUND. It?s on our indefatigable treasurer of the LBFI Inc., Aaron Astor of PNB, who celebrates his birthday this week. Cheers, tol!
