What if this is just who he is?
Throughout the fight last Saturday, and after Nonito Donaire saved a looming likely points loss with a knockout win over two-time rival Vic Darchinyan, social media and message boards were afire with chatter about what they’d seen.
Has Donaire lost himself after the loss in April to Guillermo Rigondeuax?
Is Donaire slipping?
For the most part, it’s a lot of hogwash. Donaire is capable of some spectacular stuff. His speed and power are uncommon. The good is good enough to make some ignore obvious flaws that have always been there.
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CompuBox: Donaire More Accurate, Darchinyan Busier
Cautious rematch between power punchers. Nonito Donaire was more selective with his shots, landing 52% of his non-jabs. Vic Darchinyan, ahead on all cards thru eight rounds, was the busier fighter.
On Saturday night, Vic Darchinyan came close to avenging his 2007 knockout loss to Nonito Donaire. After eight rounds of action, Darchinyan was way up on two of three scorecards in his rematch with Donaire at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas. But during the ninth Darchinyan got caught by a big counter that put him down and he never recovered.
At the time of the stoppage, Darchinyan was up 78-74 on two cards and the third judge had it a draw. Donaire improved to 32-2 with his 20th knockout, and Darchinyan fell to 39-6-1
American Bank Center, Corpus Christi, Texas - More than six years after their first meeting, Nonito Donaire (32-2, 21KOs) knocked out Vic Darchinyan (39-6-1, 28KOs) in the ninth round of their rematch. In the first fight, Donaire knocked out Darchinyan in five rounds. Donaire returns for the first time since the April decision loss to Guillermo Rigondeaux.
At the time of the stoppage, Darchinyan was leading 78-74 on two of the cards and it was a draw on the third.
Garcia to the Body, Donaire With the Repeat in Texas
by Cliff Rold - 25-year old Mikey Garcia (33-0, 28 KO) of Oxnard, California, moved up from Featherweight and added his second WBO title in a second weight class on Saturday night at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christie, Texas, coming off the floor in the second and knocking out 30-year old 130 lb. titlist Rocky Martinez (27-2-2, 16 KO) of Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, the eight round with a precise shot to the body.
Both men came in below the division limit, Garcia at 128 ¾ and Martinez at 129 ¾. The referee was Laurence Cole.
The first round and most of the second were measured, both men boxing and warming to their task. A short right hand enlivened the affair near the end of the second, Martinez dropping Garcia. Garcia beat the count but appeared a little unsteady in the ensuing exchange before returning to the corner.
Round three had moments for both men, Garcia landing a particularly nasty right hand. Martinez closed the round aggressively, if not too effectively. The fourth round was close, the fight remaining a technical struggle with enough hard punches both ways to keep tension high. Garcia boxed well in the fifth and knocked Martinez off balance late to assert some control. Martinez showed no wilt.
Vic Darchinyan was unable to get revenge, but he placed some doubts in the heard of Nonito Donaire at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas. Darchinyan fought at a measured pace, hit Donaire with numerous hard punches and before he was stopped in the ninth round - he was up on two scorecards 78-74, with the judge having it a draw. The loss drops Darchinyan's record to 39-6-1. Donaire, who knocked Darchinyan out in five rounds in 2007, improved to 32-2 with 21 knockouts.
Nonito Donaire Repeats, Knocks Darchinyan Out in Nine
American Bank Center, Corpus Christi, Texas - More than six years after their first meeting, Nonito Donaire (32-2, 21KOs) knocked out Vic Darchinyan (39-6-1, 28KOs) in the ninth round of their rematch. In the first fight, Donaire knocked out Darchinyan in five rounds. Donaire returns for the first time since the April decision loss to Guillermo Rigondeaux.
Darchinyan To Filipinos: Donaire Can Never Be Pacquiao
FULLY aware that he was live on air via a Philippine radio show, former world champion Vic Darchinyan took the opportunity of sending a message to the countrymen of his upcoming opponent Nonito Donaire, Jr.
During a telephone interview with this writer’s daily morning show “Sports Chat” over DZSR Sports Radio 918kHz, Darchinyan revealed that apart from avenging the most embarrassing loss of his career, the Australia-based Armenian champion said he wants to refute a particular praise about his Filipino tormentor.
Donaire-Darchinyan II - CompuBox Historical Review
Vic Darchinyan throws below the weight class average. Nonito Donaire throws WAY below the weight class average. This rematch will not be a jab fest. Of their 27 combined punches per round, 21 of them were power shots (78%).
Blood is thicker than water. In Nonito Donaire Jr.’s case, it was voluminous enough to permeate his subconscious.
In September, the reigning BWAA Fighter of the Year tossed and turned restlessly in his Las Vegas bed, and it was not because the first-time father was awoken by the cries of his newborn son Jarel.
Rather, Donaire dreamt of his own dad, who lived 542 miles away in the East Bay city of San Leandro, Calif. While Jarel was only a couple of heartbeats away from the warm embrace of his father, distance -- and a strained relationship -- separated Nonito from his.
