by Daniel Vano. On the surface, this seems like a strange question. The Filipino Flash, Nonito Donaire, cruised to a unanimous decision on Saturday night, adding Jeffry Mathebulas IBF Super Bantamweight title to his growing collection of world championships. Scores of 119-108, 118-109 and 117-110 portray a picture of dominance. Add to that a heavy knockdown scored in round four, and raised eyebrows may come my way. But Nonito Donaire was anything but dominant in the Home Depot Centre in Carson, California. While the judges may have scored the fight a near shut out, Donaires swollen face told a different story, as did the punch stats. According to CompuBox, by the end of round 9, Mathebula had out-landed Donaire in every round apart from the 4th, when both fighters connected with 19 punches. The South-Africans height and reach advantage was causing the pound for pound star all kinds of problems, and going into the championship rounds, I had Mathebula up 95-94. Although the reason for Donaires struggle may have been Mathebulas awkwardness, it became clear to me that Donaire himself was the problem. Like so many punchers who have come before him, Nonito has started to fall in love with his power. It wasnt hard to look for examples of this on Saturday night. Donaire continually ploughed forward, looking for that one big money shot to end proceedings. But it just wasnt working. There goes Donaire looking for that home run left hook, but he is getting hit with about eight shots. While Max Kellerman spoke these words in round 9, he could have uttered them in every round. Unfortunately for Donaire, jaw-dropping knockouts have come to be expected from him ever since he shocked the world by stopping Vic Darchinyan in the 5th round of Ring Magazines Upset of the Year way back in 2007. In 2011 he repeated the feat, this time brutalising Fernando Montiel in the second round. Indeed, since stopping the previously undefeated Darchinyan, Donaire has left a path of destruction in his wake. Brutal stoppage wins over Volodymyr Sydorenko, Hernan Marquez, Raul Martinez and Moruti Mthalane left many ranking Donaire as one of the best fighters in the world, with some suggesting he was the hardest hitting fighter on the planet in a pound for pound sense. While numerous World Titles at Flyweight, Super Flyweight, and Bantamweight were added in the process, Donaires style was changing. No longer was he setting up the power shots by using his awesome boxing skills, instead he began looking for that home run left hook. As a result, performances against Omar Narvaez and Wilredo Vazquez Jr up at Super Bantamweight have been less than awe inspiring, despite Flash adding yet another world title to his collection. Ironically, however, it was Nonitos power which may have bailed him out on Saturday night. The knockdown in the 4th round, as well as inflicting a possible broken jaw to Mathebula in the 11th round, which subsequently slowed the South African up for the rest of the fight, saw him scrape home 114-113 on my card. But it is now clear a change is needed. Donaire needs to revert back to the style which made him such a force, boxing his way inside, and letting the power shots flow by countering opponents with his quick, awkward punches. Greatness beckons for the man they call the Flash. But he will need to be a lot better against the best fighters the Super Bantamweight division has to offer, namely Toshiaki Nishioka, Abner Mares, and the talented Cuban Guillermo Rigondeaux, if he is to achieve his boxing destiny. A further move up in weight has been spoken about, with a mouth watering fight against Yuriorkis Gamboa a very real possibility in the near future. I shall end this by repeating myself. Greatness beckons for this talented 29 year old. The only man in Nonito Donaires way is the Filipino Flash himself.
Nah, I think he's just prolonging his career, and maximizing his earnings. . . And ultimately, in the long run, enhancing his greatness, and legacy. So when his career is said, and done, and ten, twenty, thirty years later, people won't be able to say "well, there was this guy he never fought. . . " Or "he never fought the tall, awkward, world champ from South Africa. . " Or "he never fought a true warrior with the heart, and power like Arce." HOWEVER, I'm giving Donaire the benefit of the doubt, and assuming that he will eventually fight Rigo, Mares, and NIshioka before vacating the 122 pound division. . . Or, at 126 when he arrives. . . But if he doesn't fight Rigo/Mares @ 122, and even if he beats them at 126, people will say "he made htem come up from their natural weight class. . . " Although it'd be ridiculous. . . AS LONG AS HE FIGHTS them. . . Sooner, rather than too much later. . . But Mares is GBP, so you can't really blame him if that fight never comes off. . Rigo, on the other hand, is different cause in this era where in-house fights are the popular thing with promotors, they share the same one.
I wouldn't say BLOWING his chance at Greatness. That sort of thing plays it self out and you can be a 1-Dimensional great fighter.. I see exactly where you're going, reminds me a lot of Trinidad, in that, he falls TOTALLY in love with his power (and for good reason), but Nonito also can box a bit....... I can see someone down the line giving Nonito a boxing lesson, but I LOVE his style.....
There's no sense in rushing through weight classes. . . He's not as big as we initially thought. . . At first, it was assumed he would without a doubt make it to 135 pounds. . Now, I don't know if he could make it past 126. . . His power definitely seems to be peaking
The article isn't about him not fighting the best boxers. It's about his stubble change in style that may see him lose once he does fight them The Trinidad example is a great comparison. With Nonito, he does hae very good boxing skills, but I fear he has neglected them to such an extent that he never gets them back. Ok a recent interview, he said he was looking to KO guys spectacularly. It just doesn't work like that. Saturday night, he wasn't setting up his punches at all, just looking for the home run left hook as Kellerman said. I am a fan of donaire, but I hope he reverts back to the style that saw him knock Vic and Montiel out before its too late
Eh, sorry, you got me - didn't read Was just assuming that's what it was about. I think his style is still fine. . . It's natural for some boxers with different styles he's never seen before to give him some issues. . Especially at higher weights, where naturally his power won't be as effective. I still didn't see the fight being that close at all (with Mathebula); I saw Donaire take 9 rounds, maybe 8. . . Never was once remotely in serious trouble, and the rounds he did lose, was simply because he wasn't working as much as the other guy. . . I don't get it? All because he isn't cold clocking guys at 122, and losing 2-4 rounds in a few fights against very capable contenders (AND WORLD CHAMPS)? Jeez. . . Or all because he couldn't KO a guy, but won every single round against a very capable defensive fighter, who fought with caution? You know he threw like 60% less punches (Narvaez) than he normally did? He's lost 6, maybe 7 rounds in his last two fights combined, and EVEN THOSE ROUNDS WERE CLOSE . . He hasn't came CLOSE to being hurt, or in trouble. . . He's been able to turn it up, on demand, and take the rounds at will. . . The guys Donaire have recently fought are simply more cautious of his power. . . He's never been a pure boxer, who fought consistently behind the jab, on the front foot, working his way in. . . He's always been a natural counterpuncher, and "ambush fighter" He will either let you come to him, and counter, or use his superior foot speed to dictate range, skeet around the ring, and BOOM, jump in with the quickness, and blast off 4-5 punch power punch combinations. . . ANd then if you survive that, and throw back, he'll counter you. . . He is ONE OF THE BEST IN BOXING when it comes to Ring IQ, and the ability to ADAPT ON THE FLY to his opponent. . HE is one of the true, rare "READ AND REACT" boxers.
I completely disagree regarding his boxing IQ. Nonito is a brilliant counter puncher, but he doesn't look anywhere near as effective leading off. Narvaev never give him the chance to do anything as he solely wanted to survive until the final bell. But he never looked like opening him up. Against Mathebula, I thought he was very lucky it was a 12 round fight. The south African outlanded him in every round. And it seemed to me Nonito was just looking to increase his KO highlight reel. I agree he was never a pure boxer, but he was never just a leap in left hooker. He is much better than that. Again, I'm not suggesting he isn't looking good because he isn't knocking these guys out. I'm suggest he isn't looking good because he is trying too hard to knock them out
Ok, to condense my last post: What is the big deal with his style? He has never been a pure boxer, who utilizes conventional tactics like boxing consistently with a jab. . He is a "read and react" boxer, and an "ambush fighter." A counterpuncher by nature. . Lol, because he's not KO'ing guys anymore @ 122? Because he SHUT OUT Narvaez, who threw literally 60% less punches than he normally does just to survive? Because he lost 3-4 rounds MAYBE against Vazquez, a tough, big, capable contender? ANd because he lost 3, maybe 4 rounds in his last fight, put the guy on his ass, and broke his tooth. . He took the fight over pretty much at will, "on demand" whenever he wanted. . . Against another huge 122 pounder with an awkward style? Damn. . . WAAAYYY too early, and no basis for this. . .
He was always an "ambush fighter," but usually he would mix up his combinations more. . . He knocked Sydorenko down, and out with brilliant lead uppercut, overhand straight combiantion. . Popped the head up form behind the guard with the uppercut, and blasted it off with his back hand straight. . . I'm just saying, it's perfectly natural that he has a few issues ad******g at 122, against world champions, and capable, young, strong contener in WV2. Even the best champions don't always look great winning. . . It's normal. . .
He's 29. I wouldn't say so. I think they know he's in this P4P position and in line for a career of mega fights. So they're naturally being selective until the right fight for the right price and right promotion comes along. I don't think all fighter's straight up "duck" each other. I think it's more about the business and holding out for that right fight at the right time. In the meantime, I think fighters take fights that allow them to collect belts and decent paydays until that megafight hits.
I wouldn't expect anything less than adjustments when moving up in weight, but I feel we're seeing the adjustment in the wrong direction. Donaire is a very very good boxer, but it is quite clear he has fallen in love with his power. As he is moving up in weight, he should be looking to set his shots up more, rather than looking for the one shot KO he was clearly looking for on Saturday night. If he comes into the ring against Nishoika, Rigo and Mares with the same style of looking for that one big shot, I fear he will be beaten. Im saying this as a fan of Nonito's. But he was tagged far too much on the way in on Saturday.
