Tweet
By Jake Donovan - To not accept Nonito Donaire as the runaway favorite for 2012’s Fighter of the Year is to expect too much from a fighter who spent the entire year constantly going above and beyond the call of duty.
If that’s the case, then you have to ask the same questions of the fighters who ultimately received your vote.
The Fil-Am star was for 10 months a leading contender in the 2011 Fighter of the Year race, in large part due to his 2nd round knockout win over Fernando Montiel. He would eventually lose out to fellow Bay Area product Andre Ward, in part to the latter’s year-ending win over Carl Froch, but also due to his own inactive stretch and uninspiring points win over Omar Narvaez once returning to the ring.
There would be no lapses in activity in 2012. Donaire fought four times, all coming against consensus Top 10 competition. The run came in a new weight class, moving up to 122 lb. a year after establishing himself as the best bantamweight in the world.
Twelve months and four wins later, Donaire has now established himself as the best super bantamweight in the world.
The run began in February with a vacant title win over Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. The win itself wasn’t that spectacular, neither in status nor in the performance itself. Donaire was expected to win against the former titlist, with the evening’s only surprise coming in the final outcome. The verdict was a split decision, in a fight Donaire appeared to win handily.
Most revealing of the evening, however, was a hand injury that Donaire has been forced to fight through for all of 2012. Despite the injury, he still soldiered on, taking no breaks in activity or in competition level. Next up was Jeffrey Mathebula, an alphabet titlist from South Africa who presented Donaire with a different look – an opponent with a massive height and reach advantage. [Click Here To Read More]
If that’s the case, then you have to ask the same questions of the fighters who ultimately received your vote.
The Fil-Am star was for 10 months a leading contender in the 2011 Fighter of the Year race, in large part due to his 2nd round knockout win over Fernando Montiel. He would eventually lose out to fellow Bay Area product Andre Ward, in part to the latter’s year-ending win over Carl Froch, but also due to his own inactive stretch and uninspiring points win over Omar Narvaez once returning to the ring.
There would be no lapses in activity in 2012. Donaire fought four times, all coming against consensus Top 10 competition. The run came in a new weight class, moving up to 122 lb. a year after establishing himself as the best bantamweight in the world.
Twelve months and four wins later, Donaire has now established himself as the best super bantamweight in the world.
The run began in February with a vacant title win over Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. The win itself wasn’t that spectacular, neither in status nor in the performance itself. Donaire was expected to win against the former titlist, with the evening’s only surprise coming in the final outcome. The verdict was a split decision, in a fight Donaire appeared to win handily.
Most revealing of the evening, however, was a hand injury that Donaire has been forced to fight through for all of 2012. Despite the injury, he still soldiered on, taking no breaks in activity or in competition level. Next up was Jeffrey Mathebula, an alphabet titlist from South Africa who presented Donaire with a different look – an opponent with a massive height and reach advantage. [Click Here To Read More]
Comment