THE one good thing about Nonito Donaire Jr.?s victory on Sunday was it came by knockout. In the ninth round. Although it arrived late by four rounds compared with his fifth-round knockout win on July 7, 2007, it absolutely validated his domination of Vic Darchinyan.
Remember, the first knockout drove Donaire?s career into orbit as it marked Darchinyan?s first loss ever, in the process giving the Filipino Flash the world flyweight title. That sparked a stupendous spiral in Donaire?s frisk for fame, proceeding to become a four-time world division champion.
Sadly for Darchinyan, the setback in 2007 somewhat derailed his soaring career, triggering a turbulent-laden comeback that saw him lose four more times in the next five years. Sunday?s loss was the sixth against 39 wins and one draw for the 37-year-old Armenian-born Australian.
And yet, before his Sunday fight with Donaire, 31, in Corpus Christi, Texas, Darchinyan swore: ?Don?t forget that with my defeat to Donaire in 2007, I made Donaire. Now, it is my time to unmake Donaire.?
Almost, but not quite.
Leading on the scorecards of two judges and Donaire merely earning a draw from the third and last judge after eight rounds, Darchinyan appeared almost sure of avenging his 2007 defeat?more so if the fight would last the distance as a victory on points had looked imminent at that stage.
But Donaire had other plans tucked under his belt. Or was it a bomb concealed in his fists?
Opening up the ninth round with a quick combination, Donaire, indeed, had drastically, if not radically, suddenly changed his approach to the fight.
From a mere wait-and-see game in the first eight rounds that resulted in Darchinyan virtually controlling the fight with bursts of punches landing and sometimes jarring his foe in the last 10 seconds of every round, Donaire turned from lamb to bull.
And, with barely a minute gone by in the ninth, the much-awaited bomb exploded.
Successfully baiting a somewhat baffled Darchinyan into, finally, a brawl, Donaire led with a short right and next unleashed his famous lethal left hook that hit dead-center the Armenian?s cheek.
When Darchinyan fell on his knees almost in a snap, with half of his body dangling out of the ropes, even the Armenian?s trainer knew the fight was over.
Staggering back to his feet like a drunk, knees wobbly, eyes dazed, Darchinyan was being woefully pummeled by a fired-up Donaire when referee Laurence Cole stopped the carnage in 2:06 of the round.
Now, while Donaire is to be colossally commended for snatching victory from the so-called jaws of defeat, you need to also give credit to Darchinyan.
Before suffering defeat, Darchinyan was practically five minutes and six seconds away from victory himself, or one round and 2/3 of a round away from possible redemption. I am almost sure Darchinyan and his trainer continue to wrack their brains up still trying to figure out what went wrong.
Was it carelessness?
Was it overconfidence?
Was it temptation at its evil best?
All of the above.
Darchinyan had been so inexplicably careless as to lower his guard in the ninth, seemingly feeling extremely confident that his lead after eight rounds had become impregnable. The lust to slug it out was also just too tempting as a knockout win for him would seem sweeter, as always, than a mere victory on points.
In life, as in boxing, too, prudence is the better part of valor. The Brits have a line for that: Patience, my dear.
That, Darchinyan learned a bit too late.
THAT?S IT. For asking the world to pray for our victims in the aftermath of super howler ?Yolanda? after his victory, Donaire endeared himself all the more not only to his beloved countrymen but to the entire humankind, as well. Cheers!…Likewise asking for help is famous lensman Tony Lu, whose eyes are going to be operated on this week at UERM Santa Mesa, Manila. He is hoping he finally gets paid by those who owe him money to augment his budget for the operation. Pssst! Have pity…
