Donaire bags crown via technical decision

MACAU – In a bizarre end, a bloodied Nonito Donaire Jr. of the Philippines took the WBA featherweight crown from South Africa’s Simpiwe Vetyeka last night at the Cotai Arena here.

Donaire got off to a good start but as the bell ending the first round sounded he dropped to his knees. He winced in pain as he headed back to his corner with a big cut over his left eye.

Donaire said he took a headbutt from Vetyeka just before the first round ended. In the second round, blood flowed profusely from the cut and the ring physician was called in to check on Donaire.

The boxers clashed heads a couple of times in the second round.

The fight went on even if the referee seemed to have asked Donaire a couple of times if he was fine. In the third round, Donaire caught Vetyeka with good shots and looked on way to victory.

Blood oozed from Donaire’s cut and in the fourth round the doctor had to check on Donaire once more. But in an exchange along the ropes, Donaire landed a right and then a left that sent Vetyeka down.

Vetyeka survived the round. During the break, Donaire said he could no longer continue. As the bell rang to start the fifth round, the referee waved the fight off.

The fight went to the scorecards and Donaire was ahead on each one of them, 49-46. He was awarded the victory and the title via technical unanimous decision.

Donaire was not happy with the way it ended because he said he came to fight. He apologized to his fans, climbing the ring post to show his feelings.

“I wanted to keep on fighting but blood kept pouring in my eye. I couldn’t see his right hand where his power comes from,” said Donaire, now a champion in four different weight classes.

“I couldn’t see anymore. The referee kept asking me if I was fine and he wanted to stop the fight earlier on but I said I wanted to keep on fighting for the fans,” he added.

“But in the fourth round I couldn’t see anymore. I promised to give him a rematch. It’s unfinished business and unfinished victory.  This victory is for my country,” Donaire said.

Vetyeka thought it was a good punch that cut Donaire in the first round.

“I didn’t think it was a headbutt. I’m terribly disappointed. He promised me a rematch I hope we see that rematch,” said the deposed champion.

Donaire is now the WBA featherweight champion but the path he has taken is littered with land mines.

In fact, his promoter, Bob Arum, has guaranteed that things will only get rougher and tougher for Donaire.

“Obviously, you see what we’re building here with all these great featherweights,” said Arum who put up last night’s card featuring the finest featherweights in the sport today.

Russian Evgeny Gradovich and Jamaican Nicholas Walters kept their featherweight titles and either boxer now looms as Donaire’s next opponent.

“He (Donaire) has two real opponents to fight right away,” said the chief of Top Rank Promotions.

Arum mentioned another great featherweight matchup between two-time Olympic (2008 and 2012) gold medalist Vasyl Lomachenko of Ukraine and undefeated American Gary Russell Jr. on June 21 in Carson City, California.

It’s for the vacant WBO featherweight crown.

“There will be a lot of action in the featherweight division. They’re all gonna fight each other you’ll see,” said Arum.

Donaire is facing the challenge.

“I want to fight for the titles and fight the other guys at featherweight,” he said.

The doors are wide open.