Sports Eye
Viva Filipinas
By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.
WE saw on TV last Sunday the fight where our very own Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire flattened the Mexican flamboyant boxer Jorge Arce with a savage left hook 2:59 minutes in the third round to retain his World Boxing Organization (WBO) super bantamweight tiara. Pundits say Donaire’s victory redeemed the Philippines pride in world professional boxing after that devastating and humiliating defeat of Filipino boxing icon Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao last December 9.
Yes, Donaire’s latest triumph will legitimately put him as a candidate for the prestigious annual “Fighter of the Year” award being the busiest and winningest boxer of 2012, winning all his four world title fights impressively, two by knockouts and two by unanimous decisions. Former world champion Toshiaki Nisioka of Japan was his first knockout victim and his latest was the four-world division titlist Arce.
Well, his first two fights this year (which I did not also fail to watch) were won by unanimous decisions against former world title holders South African Jeffrey Mathebula and Mexican Wilfredo Vasquez, Jr. These two sturdy pugs suffered knockdowns during their clash with Donaire but luckily survived the raging assaults of The Filipino Flash. I believe his four consecutive wins this year are good enough to capture the coveted award for professional boxers. His main rival is the aging Mexican ring warrior Juan Manuel Marquez who stunningly dethroned Pacquiao.
Rumors are circulating that the five-foot-six Gen. Santos City born Donaire, like Arce a four world division champion, is aiming to go one step heavier, the 126 pounds or the featherweight division and most likely to fight the Cuban two-time Olympic gold medalist Guillermo Rigondeaux. Another Mexican brawler Abner Mares is on his list but the chance to fight him is very slim because he’s under contract with Golden Boy Promotions of former world champion Oscar De La Hoya, while Donaire is with Bob Arum’s Top Rank Promotions. The two world well-known promoters are not in good terms now but I still believe this Donaire-Mares encounter can still push through before the year 2013 ends. Pay-Per-View percentage, gate receipts, boxers’ prizes are the main obstacles for this ‘dream match.’ The two promoters, Arum and De La Hoya are well-known as shrewd, insatiable and egotistical bosses in the boxing industry. For sure both will ask for bigger percentages and that will be the big dilemma. Hopefully another Filipino-Mexican world boxing blockbuster event will be staged.
The San Leandro, California resident Donaire redeemed our image in world professional boxing and latest report says he’s now rated number three pound-for-pound king being held (for the time being) by Floyd Mayweather, Jr. The Fil-Am Donaire carding a mark of 31 wins with just a single setback just turned 30 years old last November 16. He’s still young and has a lot of chances to capture more world diadems in the near future. With his height and attitude, he can reach the lightweight (135 lbs.) division or even the super lightweight (140 lbs.) category. Who knows, having the height similar to Pacquiao, he could snare eight world titles, too, but that will be a tough and challenging task. Let’s just wait and see.
And now it’s time for me to say “Viva Filipinas, yo siento Mexico, pero mejor suerte la proximo. (Long live Philippines, I’m sorry Mexico, but better luck next time). Feliz Navidad por todo el mundo. (Merry Christmas to everybody).
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: And Jesus Christ said “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” MATTHEW 24: 36, 42-44
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