One was fighting for redemption, while the other was hungry for recognition.
When these two goals came to a head last April 19, redemption won when defending Filipino International Boxing Federation (IBF) flyweight champion Nonito Donaire, unimpressive in two previous title defenses, delivered four crushing blows to the head of recognition-hungry American-Mexican challenger Raul Martinez that sent the latter’s aspiration crushing to the ground.
Donaire, determined to make a good impression before the countrymen he left when he was 11 to migrate to the United States, regaled a predominantly Filipino crowd with his fancy footwork, ring savvy, and hand speed that sent Martinez to his knees twice in the second round and once in the third before the referee finally stopped the fight in the fourth after another devastating knockdown.
Martinez pleaded with American referee Pete Podgorski to allow him to continue the fight, but the latter decided the fighter from Guadalajara, Mexico who grew up in San Antonio, Texas, has had enough and declared Donaire the winner by technical knockout.
Later on, Martinez accepted the referee’s decision and gamely raised the hand of the champion, praised him, and paraded the Philippine flag inside the ring to the applause of the crowd.
Donaire’s impressive victory, watched by an overflow crowd at the Araneta coliseum in the Philippines that included hotshots from Philippine politics, reestablished the California-based Filipino's boxing credentials and marketability.
Boxing promoter Bob Arum, at ringside to witness the event, declared that Donaire is now ready to face fighters from a higher division and hinted that it could be superflyweight Eric Morel, a hard-hitting former two-time world champion with a record of 41 wins and two losses.
Morel, who is set to encounter Evaristo Primero in Puerto Rico on May 23, has expressed a desire to travel to the Philippines to challenge Filipino WBO bantamweight champion Gerry Peñalosa.
“If I had my way, I want to meet Darchinyan again but it’s not my decision,” Donaire said.
Donaire’s upset victory over Darchinyan, from whom he wrested the IBF junior flyweight crown in 2007, was his ticket to fame, but the Armenian born Australian fighter has since then moved to superflyweight, where he reigns as undisputed champion and is soon to move up to the bantamweight division to face IBF champion Joseph Agbeko.
At 5’6”, the possibility is not entirely being ruled out. Like his idol and countryman Manny Pacquiao, who stands also 5’6”, Donaire believes it is his job to fight, not to choose his opponents.
Arum and company, constantly shuffling for the best combinations to lure in the two “Cs” of boxing—crowd and cash—a Donaire vs. Darchinyan II is certain to happen like sunrise tomorrow.
After all, if boxers are constantly after redemption and recognition, boxing promoters are also after another “R”—ROI.
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