Why There Are Still Quality Fights in Nonito Donaire's Future
Nonito Donaire suffered a devastating Round 6 knockout loss to Nicholas Walters over the weekend, but the “Filipino Flash” still appears to have plenty of quality fights headed his way in the near future.
The 31-year-old did the best he could against someone as rough and tough as Walters but didn’t have any answers once the “Axe Man” settled into his strategy of walking the smaller man down.
Walters was just too big for Donaire. His power kept Donaire from being able to let his hands go without significant repercussions, and his ability to block Donaire’s vaunted left hook made the outcome of the fight almost certain from the start.
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Donaire has lost two of his last four fights now, and even his two wins leave something to be desired.
Donaire was handled over 12 rounds by Guillermo Rigondeaux in May 2013, losing a unanimous decision. He hasn’t looked the same since.
He then found himself behind on the cards late against Vic Darchinyan in November 2013, scoring a Round 9 knockout to salvage the outing against a fighter he previously took out within five rounds.
Donaire defeated Simpiwe Vetyeka by technical decision in May 2014 to become the WBA featherweight titleholder. The bout was halted in Round 5 because of a cut caused by accidental headbutt over Donaire’s eye.
Walter dominated Donaire on Saturday night at the StubHub Center in Carson, California, to become the new WBA featherweight champion of the world. Donaire was knocked down twice in the bout before the fight was halted in Round 6.
Present circumstances are not ideal for Donaire, but there are still plenty of reasons to believe he can compete at a high level.
First, Donaire appears to simply be competing in the wrong weight class. He was visibly smaller than Walters on fight night and still managed to rock him with hard punches at the end of Round 2. That suggests he still has what made him great at 122 and below.
Saturday was Donaire’s third bout at 126, and while some believe the Rigondeaux loss uprooted Donaire’s confidence, it’d be just as easy to suggest that Donaire has struggled in each bout after because he doesn’t belong in the division.
Donaire began his career at flyweight, and while he’s had success moving up the scales against elite opposition, he just doesn’t seem to have the body type needed for fights above 122 pounds. His arms are relatively short, and he hasn’t been able to pack on much muscle the way fighters like Manny Pacquiao have as they’ve moved up the ladder.
Next, Donaire showed grit and determination in the loss to Walters. While he found out quickly he was in for a long night, Donaire continued to try to win the fight as the bout progressed. And when he ended up getting knocked out in Round 6, Donaire’s disposition afterward was bright and cheery.
That’s big. This was not a defeated man wondering if he had just fought his last fight. Rather, it was a fighter who knew he had probably just moved up in weight one division too high.
Finally, Donaire is still one of the bigger stars in the sport. He’s been one of HBO’s favorite darlings for a few years now, and his fights are consistently entertaining.
That alone will give him opportunities against good competition going forward.
And there are still a plethora of intriguing fights for Donaire at junior featherweight. Bouts against undefeated action fighters Carl Frampton and Leo Santa Cruz would be TV-friendly romps. Donaire would likely be favored against each.
Donaire could also seek a bout against Abner Mares. The two seemed to be on a collision course two years ago before promotional issues kept the bout from being signed, but both men could use a win over the other right about now. Mares was knocked out by Jhonny Gonzalez in August 2013 and looked flustered in a 10-round win over Jonathan Oquendo this summer.
Even a rematch with Rigondeaux would suffice, and the fight makes more sense than it would have a year ago. It’d give both fighters a chance to prove something.
For Rigondeaux, it’d be a chance to show TV executives he can be both a winner and an entertainer at the same time, something a fighter has to be if he hopes to compete for an audience.
For Donaire, it’d be the surest and quickest path back to reclaiming elite status. A win over Rigondeaux would make Donaire’s ill-advised move to featherweight seem like a bad dream.
Whatever Donaire decides to do, this much is clear: There are plenty of good fights ahead for him so long as he makes the smart move and heads back down to 122.
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