Donaire is one of the greatest fighters of the generation to say otherwise is ludicrous, legit 4 division champ, beat a whose who in the lower weight division's only has losses to a handful of top quality guys almost 5 weights above his start. People just don't give credit to the lower divisions.
I'm on the fence about this one... Nonito losing to Vic in the rematch before the KO as well as his receding hairline prevents him from being a lock.
Gatti is in and didn't dominate anywhere near the level Donaire did in his respective weight classes he campaigned in. Two losses to a p4p elite and the physically gigantic boogeyman of a division doesn't cancel Donaire's great run. Try again.
Here's a winner, "Nonito losing to Vic in the rematch before the KO" Do you find nothing wrong with that statement ??
Um, okay? Vic was schooling and beating that ass until Nonito knocked him out. You've never heard of a "come-from-behind" KO?
If you started watching boxing 2 years a go, you will say he's not a hofer. If you have been following this sport for a while, you know without any doubt that he's a hofer. Easy as that.
These discussions always involve "but look who else is in there." Typically a lower level fighter like Gatti who is inducted is there because they stood out in a particular way, even if their achievements aren't historic. So we should judge Donaire on the one criteria he would qualify under, and that's his resume. Luckily for him he should definitely get in. I'm confused by those who say he shouldn't. His resume is stacked and his performances were incredible. He was a pound for pound fighter for many years. The Filipino Flash should definitely get in. I'm curious if those who say he shouldn't have any substantive counter-argument.
His best win was Darchinyan who was made to order for him. He rode on the cotails of that win for a number of years while he beat average guys much smaller than him. He never fought Mares and most people knew (including myself) that he was going to get taken apart by Rigo. How do you lose to badly to the best guy of your era and still qualify for the HOF? Then he got dismantled again by Walters who didn't turn out to be all that good. If Naseem never got in , why should Donaire? He might get in one day in the distant future , but there's not a chance he's a first balloter. Bradley has a better resume imo and he's not a first ballot hall of famer and it's arguable if he even is a hall of famer.