Donaire nanlansi nga ba ng reperi?

Nalansi nga ba ni world flyweight Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire, Jr. si referee Joe Cortez upang itigil ang laban nila ni South African challenger Moruti Mthalane noong Linggo?

Sinabi kahapon ni Nick Durandt, trainer ni Mthalane, na niloko ni Donaire si Cortez sa sixth round sa paghiling na patingnan sa ring doctor ang putok sa kaliwang mata ng South African slugger patungo sa pagbibigay sa Pinoy fighter ng panalo. 

“Donaire threw all his punches and my boy took them well in a very competitive first five rounds,” litanya ni Durandt. “By the time the fight entered the sixth round, Mthalane was ready to push Donaire all the way and the Filipino was already gasping for air. It took me by surprise that a referee of Joe’s caliber could allowed himself to be influenced by the fighter.”

Matagumpay na naidepensa ng 25-anyos na si Donaire ang kanyang suot na International Boxing Federation (IBF) at International Boxing Organization (IBO) at flyweight belts mula sa kanyang sixth-round stoppage kay Mthalane.

Ito ang ikalawang sunod na title defense ni Donaire matapos umiskor ng isang eight-round TKO kay Mexican challenger Luis Maldonado noon pang Disyembre 1.

Ayon kay Durandt, alam na sana nila ang gagawin sa isang ‘stylish fighter’ na katulad ni Donaire, lumipat sa bakuran ng Top Rank Promotions ni Bob Arum mula sa Showtime Promotions ni Gary Shaw.

“As I told you, our fight strategy was to survive the first five rounds and launch an attack in the second half because we knew Donaire is very strong in the opening stanza of the fight,” wika ni Durandt. (Russell Cadayona)