World title Sunday for Pinoy pugs

Two Filipino fighters see action in world title bouts in opposite corners of the globe today as local fans anxiously await the redemption of Pinoy pride after Manny Pacquiao was robbed of the WBO welterweight title by Timothy Bradley Jr. under dubious circumstances in Las Vegas last month.

WBO superbantamweight champion Nonito Donaire Jr. of Talibon, Bohol, takes on IBF counterpart Jeffrey (The Marvelous Mongoose) Mathebula of South Africa in a unification showdown at the Home Depot Center in Carson City, near Los Angeles, this morning (Manila time) while No. 1 contender Silvester Lopez of Kabasalan, Zamboanga Sibugay, battles WBC superflyweight titleholder Yota Sato of Japan at the Bunka Gym in Yokohama this afternoon.

Donaire, 29, is up against a 5-10 stylist but faces a more dangerous, if not notorious, adversary in South African judge Deon Dwarte who joins the scoring panel with Americans Steve Morrow and Jonathan Davis. Dwarte has a reputation for bias and it’s highly irregular that he was assigned for the fight to be supervised by Richard De Cuir of Sacramento. 

In February 2009, Dwarte turned in a 113-113 tally when Nate Campbell clearly outfought South Africa’s Ali Funeka for the vacant IBF, WBA and WBO lightweight titles in Florida. The two other judges saw it for Campbell – Miami’s Michael Pernick had it 115-111 and Canada’s Benoit Roussell 114-112. Two months later, Dwarte did it again. He scored it 116-112 for Mathebula against Celestino Caballero for the WBA superbantamweight crown in Panama. The two other judges saw it the other way. Panama’s Hector Afu and Las Vegas’ Patricia Morse Jarman had it 116-112 for Caballero.

To avoid complications, Donaire has to totally dominate the action or knock out Mathebula. While Donaire has the tools and smarts to bowl over Mathebula, he’s not leaving anything to chance. “I can’t take Mathebula lightly,” said Donaire. “He’s a slick and skilled boxer. The fight’s a big challenge for me. I have a lot of respect for Mathebula. He’s a lot taller than me at 5-10. He went 12 rounds with Caballero and beat guys like Julio Zarate and Oscar Chauke.” Referee is San Diego’s 64-year-old Pat Russell who was the third man in the ring when Gerry Peñalosa knocked out Jhonny Gonzalez with a single body shot to wrest the WBO bantamweight title in Sacramento in 2007. In yesterday’s weigh-in, Donaire tipped the scales at 121.4 pounds while Mathebula checked in at 121.8.

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Donaire could’ve chosen to meet Cristian Mijares or Robert Marroquin instead but sought out Mathebula for the opportunity to unify the WBO and IBF titles. “I’m fighting for the IBF belt then I want to fight another champion,” said Donaire. “I’ve never fought a guy taller than me so it’ll be interesting. He will definitely use his height and length. I just have to get past that jab and once I get beyond it, that’s it. I can exploit any angles after that and I’ll be in my zone.”

A Sydney Olympian, Mathebula compiled an amateur record of 101-4 and has a pro mark of 26-3-2, with 14 KOs. Two of the losses were by split decision. In contrast, Donaire’s record is 28-1, with 18 KOs. Both turned pro in 2001. Mathebula, 32, has fought only once outside of South Africa and lost in Panama. It will be his US debut and his promoter Branko Milenkovic promised a convincing show.

As for Lopez, the altar boy knows the odds are stacked against him. Sato, 28, is unbeaten in his last 20 fights dating back to 2005 and totes a 24-2-1 record, with 12 KOs. The referee is Texas’ Laurence Cole who worked Pacquiao’s fights against Antonio Margarito in 2010 and Marco Antonio Barrera in 2003. Cole has been in the ring with Evander Holyfield, Oscar de la Hoya, Edwin Valero, Erik Morales, Azumah Nelson, Fernando Vargas, Jorge Arce, Jose Luis Castillo, Juan Manuel Marquez, Wladimir Klitschko, Luisito Espinosa and Rolando Bohol. So Cole’s experience shouldn’t get in the way of prejudice. Cole isn’t the type to be swayed by the hometown atmosphere. The judges are Mexico’s Omar Mintun, Canada’s David Bilocerkowec and Los Angeles’ Lou Moret.

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No doubt, Lopez has to bring his best form in the fight of his life. He’s won his last five, all by KO, and what paved the way for the title crack was his eighth round stoppage of then-No. 1 contender Oscar Ibarra in Mexico last year. In all, Lopez’ record is 19-3-1, with 15 KOs. He’s coming off a fourth round knockout over Sato’s countryman Yuki Fukumoto. Lopez set up camp in Japan three weeks ago with trainers Archiel Villamor and Ding Cabanela. Lopez, 24, is a dedicated athlete and devout Catholic. His usual daily routine involves waking up at 4:30 a.m. for dawn jogs and 6 a.m. Holy Mass at the St. Rita chapel in Sucat. The second youngest of eight, Lopez said he plans to build a house for his parents Roseller and Maura in Zamboanga Sibugay with his ring earnings which should get a boost if he wins the title. His father is a security house caretaker. A high school graduate, Lopez learned to box when he was 13 and chose boxing over basketball in focusing on a career in sports. Lopez’ manager Gabriel (Bebot) Elorde Jr., who is in Yokohama, said with God’s grace, a new Filipino world champion will be crowned this afternoon.