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[BoxingGlove Notes]
In a surprising victory, but also predicted by the winner, on Saturday night, April 13, 2013, at the world famous Radio City Music Hall, Manhattan, Guillermo “El Chacal” Rigondeaux, defeated the overwhelming favorite, Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire, and won the W.B.O. & W.B.A. World Super Bantamweight Titles, by a close but unanimous decision.
El Chacal- “The Jackal”-Rigondeaux, true to his declarations in previous interviews proved to be the professional instead of the amateur fighter by giving Donaire a boxing lesson from the very first round with his super speed, counter-punching ability, punching power, and his defensive moves going left to right, and right to left, keeping low while making a confused and frustrated Donaire miss with his punches repeatedly.
When Donaire connected with his punches which was very rare during the entire 12 rounds, they were not damaging nor did they hurt Rigondeaux. Donaire the favorite began to lose round after round, looking more discouraged and frustrated while his Trainer, Danny Garcia desperately pleaded with him to “do something, go after him, don’t stop, keep punching.”
It was only in the 10th. round when Referee Benji Esteves tried to break up a clinch that Donaire connected with a perhaps desperate left hook that knocked Rigondeaux down and briefly showed that maybe Donaire might finally gain the momentum and advantage of the fight and pull victory out of the hands of certain defeat.
It certainly brought Nonito’s supporters to their feet screaming and tasting victory by their hero, by a hopeful exciting knockout. But, that was not to be since this was only a flash knockdown and “rock-jaw” Rigondeaux immediately got up unhurt. El Chacal actually almost “stole” the 10th. round advantage from Donaire by cautiously fighting back and towards the end of the round he was hurting Donaire.
By the 11th round Donaire was badly bruised on his face, his right eye was completely closed and he was bleeding from his nose. He was forced to keep his right glove close to his right eye to protect it from further damage –turning him into a one-handed fighter.
By the 11th round Nonito Donaire, who came into the fight 31-1, 20 knockouts, W.B.O. & W.B.A. Super Bantamweight Champ, undefeated in 12 years, and recipient of the Boxing Writers Association Award for “Fighter Of The Year, 2012”, was thoroughly beaten and embarrassed by this “amateur upstart”, Guillermo Rigondeaux, who was 11-0, 8 k.o.’s , and W.B.A. Junior Featherweight Champ.
Why and how could this have happened, you ask yourself when this super counter-punching knockout artist “The Filipino Flash,” was cleaning up the Super Bantamweight division on his way to moving up to the featherweights and repeating. Perhaps the awards winning celebrity status, or inspired by his best friend, sparring partner and idol Manny Pacquiao, or perhaps more dangerously overlooking his opponent Rigondeaux and his highlighted amateur status, could’ve been the reasons.
So what is next for Nonito Donaire? Back to the drawing board, and study films of this fight, and “super- thinking” about his mistakes and “mucho” rest as he anxiously awaits the birth his first baby, a boy in July, 2013. As for Guillermo Rigondeaux, he has an open field of opponents in which he can reap the harvest, and then move up to the Featherweights.
I feel that he will reign as king of the Bantamweights and Featherweights for a long time perhaps earning pound for pound icon recognition. Please note that he has already been compared to Floyd Mayweather, Jr. but, in the 122 pounds category.
Guillermo Rigondeaux now the present 3 Crown Super Bantamweight, or Junior Featherweight World Champion displayed a masterful and dominating defense and offense which obviously was learned by the years as a member of the Cuban National Boxing Team and over 400 world-wide amateur fights — coached ironically, by his present trainer, Pedro Luis Diaz, and retired former world champ and also a Gold Medal Olympic winner, Joel “El Cepillo” Casamayor.
On an emotional level perhaps his priority now after a short rest is to bring his family here to the United States from Cuba to reside with him in Miami.
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