When you have a champion who goes by the moniker ?The Filipino Flash? and a challenger who bills himself as the ?Speed King,? expect full-throttle action the moment they meet in the squared circle.
On Sunday (Manila time), Nonito ?The Filipino Flash? Donaire Jr. will defend his combined World Boxing Organization-International Boxing Federation (WBO-IBF) super bantamweight championship against highly-regarded Japanese challenger Toshiaki ?Speed King? Nishioka of Japan in a scheduled 12-rounder at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California. It will be Donaire?s third official appearance as a super bantamweight (122 pounds) and the defending champion figures to have his hands full against Nishioka.
While Donaire is still testing the waters at super bantamweight, Nishioka has been a fixture in the division since 2005. Nishioka, 39-4 with 24 knockouts, decisioned Napapol Sor Rungvisai of Thailand in September 2008 to win the interim World Boxing Council (WBC) super bantamweight title. By the time he stopped Mexican Genaro Garcia in January 2009, Nishioka was already recognized as regular world champion by the WBC.
Nishioka, who started boxing at age 10, defended the WBC hardware seven times and is undefeated in his last 16 outings. He has not lost a fight since March 2004, when he dropped a decision to Thai Veeraphol Sahaprom for the WBC bantamweight (118 pounds) title. Nishioka was never beaten as WBC super bantamweight champion; he only gave up the belt because he didn?t want to fight anyone else except Donaire.
Nishioka?s last ring appearance came in October 2011, when he decisioned Mexican Rafael Marquez in 12 rounds. When the bell rings for the Donaire fight, the 36-year-old Nishioka will have been inactive for a year. Nishioka is the least perturbed, though, insisting that the Donaire fight is worth the long wait.
Truth be told, Donaire and Nishioka have great respect for each other?s ability, which is why boxing experts see the winner of the fight being recognized as the best 122-pounder in the punch-for-pay business.
Nishioka and Donaire both parade killer left hands. Donaire?s left hook has put to sleep known power-hitters like Vic Darchinyan and Fernando Montiel. On the other hand, Nishioka?s left straight/cross has flattened the likes of Garcia and Jhonny Gonzalez. Donaire?s power has been questioned since he moved up to super bantamweight, but it should be noted that he still managed to knock down Puerto Rican Wilfredo Vazquez despite an injured left hand and thereafter broke the jaw of South African Jeffrey Mathebula.
Donaire, 29-1 with 18 knockouts, is the smart money bet over Nishioka. The Filipino offers better lateral movement, a truckload of ring smarts and two-fisted power. But Donaire cannot afford to be cocky, as his habit of dropping his guard and mocking his foe could be a fatal blunder against Nishioka whose left straight is deceptively fast.
Nishioka is strictly a left-handed bomber, but he is a pressure fighter who knows how to properly pivot before throwing his staple punch. Nishioka?s weakness is infighting; he tends to lose his way when mixing it up inside and is consequently vulnerable to counter hooks and uppercuts.
Donaire has talked about a hostile start to take advantage of Nishioka?s ring rust, but the popular opinion is that the fighters will opt for a more cautious approach owing to the power they both have. When you have two grandmasters with gloves, expect a chess match. In the end, though, there could only be one king and the guess is that it will be Donaire.
