By Ryan Songalia

Nonito Donaire wasn't as explosive as in the Vic Darchinyan fight or as punishing as he was against Luis Maldonado, but a win is a win. Donaire made his second, and likely final, defense of the IBF flyweight title Saturday night over South African Moruti Mthalane, clearing his obligation to the sanctioning body and paving the way to bigger fights in the super flyweight division.

Mthalane didn't make the trans-Atlantic journey just to lose, however. The now 22-2 (15 KO) challenger made a real fight of the affair before being stopped in the sixth on cuts by referee Joe Cortez. Mthalane wasn't the only one who was busted up, as Donaire concealed his face behind sunglasses for the post-fight press conference.

A swollen right eye isn't the only battle scar "The Filipino Flash" would leave the ring with.

"I broke my left pinky in the second round," Donaire, now 20-1 (13 KO), disclosed to BoxingScene.com. "I couldn't even close my fist to throw my jab."

The fight swung noticeably after that second round as Donaire began waiting on his mandatory challenger, unwilling to risk further injury against the rough extremities of his peekaboo defensive shell.

"He covered himself well so I'd hit him in the elbows. I knew what he was capable of. I knew the fight was going to be hard so I kept waiting and looking to get him to open up. I didn't want to hit him when he was covered up."

After the fight Donaire got his hand x-rayed, which confirmed the break. Donaire says that doctors told him his hand would heal quickly but only if he allowed it to rest. That throws a wrench in the plans for the San Leandro, California resident.

"I gotta get that fixed because I was eager to get back in the gym in a week or two so I could build my body up. Unfortunately I can't go back for a little while. It'll probably take a month and a half or so, but the doctors aren't really sure."

"He'll be ready to go back into training in January," Donaire's manager Cameron Dunkin assertively stated.

Still, Donaire was happy to be back in the ring, a place he hadn't been since last December. Promotional issues with Gary Shaw Promotions, whom had initially guided him towards the breakout Darchinyan fight, had kept him out of action until signing with Top Rank earlier this year. After his finger heals, a fight with Jorge Arce, the biggest draw at 115 pounds, looms.

"Arce is a big name. He's a true warrior and for myself that's something that makes him more than worthy. It's good for me because he'll bring out the best in me.

"But it's not my call, it's Top Rank's."

Dunkin is confident that an Arce clash can happen in either March or April in Donaire's native country of the Philippines. "That's where it's leaning pretty heavily," Dunkin says. If the Arce fight happens in the Philippines it will be Donaire's first fight there since 2002's 8-round decision win over Mark Sales.

The most significant matchup that could be made at 115 would be a rematch with Darchinyan, who on the same night unified the WBA/IBF/WBC titles with a dominant win over solid favorite Cristian Mijares.

"I doubt the fight will happen because Gary Shaw and Top Rank hate each other," Donaire says. "They're suing each other and that's blocking the fight."

Gary Shaw says that there is no litigation currently pending between the promoters but that personal differences are preventing the matchup from ever happening.

"Nonito Donaire is not a loyal fighter," Shaw says, who was Donaire's promoter until this June. "Had he stayed with me, he'd have his 112 pound title and a shot at all three titles. Let him find someone else or move up to 118."

Dunkin takes another view on the matter. He says that a rematch won't happen because it isn't necessary. "I don't care about a rematch with Darchinyan, Donaire completely destroyed him. He beat him almost every round. Mijares was a good win for Darchinyan but has nothing to do with Donaire."

Dunkin says that matchups with WBO super flyweight champion and stablemate Fernando Montiel or even a showdown with compatriot Gerry Penalosa at bantamweight are possibilities for the future.

Despite Darchinyan's convincing victories over two consecutive titlists, Donaire isn't impressed. He says that a rematch would produce a similar outcome, if it ever were to happen.

"I kept saying to the press that Mijares was going to school him because I didn't want to give Darchinyan any credit because he didn't give me any credit. I knew this was going to be a tough fight for Mijares because he doesn't know how to fight left-handers. He had a draw with Maldonado and a split-decision with [Jose] Navarro. He was moving in the wrong direction, moving into the power punching of Darchinyan.

"He's the same fighter, still aggressive. When he punches, he's open. He does the same movements. It's the same weakness I exploited the first time. He hasn't changed anything. If we ever fight again, I'll do the same thing again."

Regardless of what the future holds, Donaire makes it clear that his job title reads "boxer", and not "matchmaker".

"Whatever fights happen, I don't care. I'll fight anyone, anywhere, anytime. All I really care about is having the time to train. It'd be great to fight Darchinyan, Arce or Montiel."

Tales From The Cutting Room Floor...

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In a noticeably upbeat mood following the monumental victory of his fighter, Gary Shaw reveals that he had some concerns heading into the Mijares fight.

"I was confident with the promotion, but I wasn't confident with the outcome. I had a lot of respect for Mijares, he's a great fighter, great Mexicano and a gentleman inside of the ring. Darchinyan did what he said he'd do and he proved the writers wrong. He said he'd be faster, smarter, stronger, break him down and knock him out. He did all of that."

While Shaw says that a Donaire rematch is out of the question, he would be willing to make a fight with Top Rank fighter Fernando Montiel, claimant to the WBO title.

"It depends on whether Arum would want to do the fight or not."

Shaw says that Darchinyan will be back in action early next year, "probably February or March."

Though most wrote Darchinyan off following the Donaire fight, Shaw says that he never lost faith in the Armenian native, now fighting out of Australia.

"I know he just walked into the shot," Shaw says in reference to the only blemish on Darchinyan's record, a fifth round TKO loss to Donaire last year. "It's not as if it was a great fight, he was just careless. He didn't fight like he should. Obviously that was the answer but I never lost confidence in him. He's a real loyal fighter with a real loyal team. I'm just proud of him with his deserving victory."

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Many, including the Top Rank PPV commentators, were dumbfounded by Donaire's constant switching during the Mthalane fight. Donaire spent a lengthy portion of the fight boxing out of the southpaw stance. Primarily Donaire fights right-handed. Donaire says that he is naturally left-handed.

"I can fight both ways. In terms of power, my southpaw left has a lot of power. In terms of being slick, my right stance is slicker than anything."

Any questions or comments? Send them to mc_rson@yahoo.com