Sports Eye
Impressive wins by Donaire and Magsayo
By Jesus A. Garcia Jr.
AVID fans of boxing saw on TV last Saturday, April 23, how our Fil-Am world boxing champ Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire, Jr. quickly dismissed the visiting number four world contender Zsolt Bedak of Hungary in the third round to retain his WBO (World Boxing Organization) super bantamweight tiara, and the promising Mark “Magnifico” Magsayo stopped the American warrior Chris Avalos to win the WBO international featherweight belt held at Cebu City Sports Complex.
It was a very impressive victory for the duo to the delight of the Filipino crowd, and of course, this writer. Firstly, the Donaire-Zsolt battle was really a sort of mismatch from the very beginning up to the third round with Donaire listing Bedak as his 24th victim via the short route. After the clash, the Bohol-born Donaire promptly quipped to world sports scribes that he’s looking forward to have a unification battle against the elite boxers of the world, prioritizing World Boxing Association (WBA) and International Boxing Federation (IBF) title-holder Carl Frampton of England or World Boxing Council (WBC) king Hugo Ruiz of Mexico or even his tormentor Guillermo Rigondeaux of Cuba in the same division (super bantamweight) to prove to the whole world that he could be the best in the 122 pounds. Yes, I have to agree with him although that will be a very, very tough assignment but I guess it’s doable. I believe the five-time world champion in different divisions who is now 33 years of age obviously aims to become another world boxing great and be the third Filipino to be listed in the prestigious Hall of Fame recipient after Gabriel “Flash” Elorde of Bogo, Cebu and Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao of Gen. Santos City. Hopefully he will do it before he reaches his twilight time.
What also amazed me that day was the come-from-behind victory of Donaire’s province mate Mark “Magnifico” Magsayo against the durable Avalos. I’ve seen almost all of the fourteen fights of Magsayo in the flesh at Waterfront Hotel and Casino in Cebu City and on TV and his fight last Saturday was his best as a brawler. The Bohol native Magsayo pummeled the American-born Mexican blooded Avalos in the first two rounds but suddenly lost steam in the third round. He was floored, got up on his wobbling knees and was clearly on the verge of defeat but he survived the round! Still perhaps relishing the effect of the knockdown, Magsayo fought unimpressively and mindlessly in the fourth but the more experienced Avalos was unable to finish him off. The fifth canto was memorable for the Filipino pugilist when he got his ‘second wind.’ I thought the American will finally succumb to the solid punches that Magsayo rendered clearly. But the sixth, as we expected, finally was for Magsayo scoring his 11th stoppage and now totes a total of 14 victories sans loss.
Many say the “Magnifico” has ripened for a world title fight in the featherweight division but I disagree. He needs more experience, some changes in his defense and must lessen throwing those wild blows. We saw how he threw bara-bara punches and that should be corrected. Remember, he’s in the featherweight division and the guy that kayoed Donaire is in this weight (126 lbs), the dreaded Nicholas “Axman” Walters.
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: The preparation of the heart belongs to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. PROVERBS 16: 1
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