Ang pagpapatulog niya kay dating Armenian world flyweight champion Vic Darchinyan sa fifth round noong Hulyo 7 ang nagpakilala sa kanya sa world boxing scene.
Ang nasabing paraan rin ang gagamitin ni Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire, Jr. para sa kanyang pagdedepensa ng suot na International Boxing Federation (IBF) at International Boxing Organization (IBO) flyweight title laban kay Mexican challenger Luis Maldonado bukas (Manila time) sa Foxwoods Casino sa Mashantucket, Connecticut.
“I guess that knockout wasn’t enough to prove my talent is equal to other fighters so I’ll do what I can to take Maldonado out,” sabi ng 25-anyos na si Donaire sa 29-anyos na si Maldonado.
Ibabandera ni Donaire, tubong General Santos City at nakabase ngayon sa San Leandro, California, ang 18-1-0 win-loss-draw ring record kasama ang 11 KOs, habang ipaparada naman ni Maldonado ang 37-1-1 (28 KOs).
Pinabagsak ni Donaire ang 31-anyos na si Darchinyan sa fifth round para agawin ang IBF at IBO flyweight crowns noong Hulyo 7 sa Bridgeport, Connecticut.
Ang tanging kabiguan naman ni Maldonado, nagsanay sa Otomi Mountains sa Mexico City na siyang training camp ni dating world three-time champion Erik Morales, ay mula kay Darchinyan.
“I was never a pampered fighter,” ani Donaire. ”I had to find a way to make people notice me. I get in the best shape I can and adjust during the fight. In the pros, it’s you who decides the outcome. The best feeling is to win by knockout. Why take longer if you can do it early?” (RCadayona)