Donaire marches on

Bucking a bloodied left hand and a sore right fist, Nonito Donaire fashioned out a weird split decision over Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. Saturday night (Sunday morning in the Philippines) in San Antonio, Texas. Judges Levi Martinez and Don Trella both scored the fight with Donaire way ahead, 117–110 while Dr. Ruben Garcia of Texas saw it 115-112 in favor of Vazquez. Pundits were quick to point out Garcia must have been watching another fight while scoring the Donaire-Vazquez match-up and should perhaps stick to being a medical doctor (if he is indeed one) and forsake boxing. On the other hand the same aficionados stress that, if Garcia brings his so-called expertise to the medical field, the way he brought his so-called expertise in boxing to the Donaire-Vazquez fight, woe to those who are his patients.

ESPN.com’s Dan Rafael scored it 117-110 and so did writer Ed Fucillo. I also had it for Donaire 117-110 with Donaire winning all but three (five, six and eight) of the 12-round bout for the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) super bantamweight title. Despite the injury suffered by Donaire between the second and fourth round, USA Today’s Bob Velin wrote that Donaire greatly outworked Vazquez, landing 68 more punches and landed at a 42 percent connect rate. Donaire also landed 91 more power punches than Vazquez. It is to be noted that Velin stated “that the fight was a split decision was puzzling.” Fucillo called Garcia’s 115-112 score in favor of Vazquez, “baffling”.

It was the first time for Donaire to fight at 122 pounds and the first attempt of Vazquez to win back the title he lost to potential Donaire opponent, Jorge Arce in MGM Grand in Las Vegas on May 7, 2011 in the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao-Shane Mosley title fight. Although a newcomer in the super bantamweight division, Donaire was in control of most of the fight yielding the initiative momentarily in the middle rounds.

It was the fourth crown for Donaire, although one of them is an “interim” flyweight title of the World Boxing Association (WBA). The three titles are International Boxing Federation (IBF) flyweight, World Boxing Council (WBC) and WBO bantamweight and the latest one, WBO super bantamweight.

In an overseas call hours after the fight, Donaire confirmed the injury to his left hand which was shown on Pay-Per-View’s (PPV) live broadcast through Skycable. The screen showed Donaire’s bandage bloodied at fight’s end. I asked Donaire what caused the injury and he said “it seems the bone penetrated the skin causing the bleeding. The impact of my blows to the head probably caused the injury.” Donaire said that because of the pain in both hands, he could not do what he had planned on doing which was to end the fight as soon as he could. Donaire said that before the start of the 12th round, trainer Roberto Garcia told him to throw more jabs and he said, “ I can’t”. Fortunately, despite the injuries, Donaire won the last round, in my scorecard.

At this point, Donaire is looking forward to his next fight, the second of four that he wants to have this year. Foremost in his mind is to unify all four super bantamweight crowns and he’s now one-third of the way. He looks forward to meeting WBC champ Toshhiaki Nishioka of Japan, WBA king Guillermo Rigondeaux of Cuba and IBF’s title holder Takolani Ndlova of South Africa. Another possibility is the much-awaited match with WBO bantamweight titleholder, Jorge Arce of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico. Whoever Donaire fights, having it in Manila will certainly be a spectacular idea!

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While we rejoice over Donaire’s victory and recent triumphs of other Filipino fighters, a pall of gloom descended into the boxing scene with the death of fighter Karlo Maguinto two Saturdays ago. Maguinto collapsed right after having earned a majority draw against Mark Joseph Costa in Caloocan. The death renewed the calls for a ban on boxing in the Philippines. Former Philippine Sports Commission chairman Perry Mequi, a long-time advocate of the ban sent the following text message: “The (Maguinto) story once again makes me ask the question: is it ethical and moral to permit and tolerate a practice such as that which caused a human being to suffer and die like (Maguinto)? The way the doctors described the condition of his brain after the bout reflects the brutality and violence of boxing. If that fight took place outside of the ring, his opponent would be charged (with) frustrated murder. Certainly, boxing is immoral and has no place in a Christian Philippines.” Former Sen Rene Saguisag, for his part, calls boxing the “art of modified murder”. I sense a whole new debate on this topic will take place soon.