Nonito Donaire vs. Abner Mares is a fight that boxing fans have wanted to see for quite some time now. It's a great matchup between two talented fighters that's almost guaranteed to be a great action fight.
However, due to the ongoing Cold War between promoters Golden Boy and Top Rank, the fight has yet to come to fruition.
A couple of days ago, Golden Boy, via Boxingscene.com, released a copy of this contract, which specifies everything from gloves to meal stipends to airfare. In other words, it's a legitimate legal document that's offering Top Rank $3 million for the services of Donaire for just this one fight.
It puts Top Rank and Donaire in a tough position, especially if they don't want the fight.
If they turn the fight down, Golden Boy and Mares now have the ability to say that they sent a real, big-money offer to Top Rank—an offer that was even hand signed by Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer, only to have it rejected for seemingly no reason.
There's no fight out there for Donaire that will make him even close to the amount that he'll make fighting Mares. And it's a fight that—if it's staged in California—will draw considerable public interest and a large live gate as well, further increasing its lucrativeness.
So, with a contract in place and with Donaire and Top Rank looking like they'll rebuff once again, the question has to be asked: Is Donaire afraid of Mares?
Why else would he and Top Rank turn down such a big offer?
I think that on a personal level, a fighter-to-fighter level, Donaire isn't afraid of Mares. Mares is a terrific fighter, but Donaire has tons of experience and has been up against top fighters before. It's unlikely for this reason that he fears Mares.
What's more likely the case is that it's a combo of Bob Arum not wanting to do business with Golden Boy and his fear that Donaire—one of his biggest-money fighters—could potentially lose and cost him a lot of money down the line.
A lot of Top Rank's top-earning boxers have lost recently, such as Manny Pacquiao, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, and Juan Manuel Lopez, just to name a few. Arum probably is afraid to risk another top fighter of his losing, which would hurt his earning potential.
Hopefully, they'll come to their senses and make the fight.
But as we've seen in boxing, what makes sense for the fans isn't always necessarily the choice that the promoters ultimately make.
Nonito Donaire vs. Guillermo Rigondeaux: Better Than Pacquiao-Mayweather
Jan 17, 2013
Boxing fans can begin cheering. A very exciting encounter is around the corner. Nonito Donaire and Guillermo Rigondeaux are now scheduled to meet on April 27 in the fight capital of the world. This fight is guaranteed to be electrifying and is a beautiful treat for frustrated boxing aficionados.
Top Rank has brought the first clash of superstars to this year's calendar. This is an excellent challenge between two very well-rounded and thrilling fighters. Donaire impressed beyond measure as the HBO headliner last December in his dismantling of the quintessential fan favourite, Jorge Arce. The Cuban, Rigondeaux, had his chance to showcase his superlative skills on the co-main event, thwarted by a last minute pullout by his opponent.
This bout will pit two of the sport's greatest rising superstars against one another. This is today's generation's Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather that their predecessors never managed to elicit. Eternal glory, superstardom, elite pound-for-pound rankings are at stake along with the WBA, WBO and Ring Magazine titles in this 122-pound clash.
Donaire is 31-1 with 20 knockouts. He is the current king of the uber-competitive Super Bantamweight division. The possessor of furious knockout power and unbelievable quickness, he is the complete package. He is fan-friendly with controlled aggression and sublime technique, and is a purer boxer than his esteemed countryman, Manny Pacquiao.
The now 30-year-old burst on to the scene in 2007 when he knocked out, then 28-0, Vic Darchinyan; the "The Filipino Flash" has embraced stardom since. This epic encounter at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas will be the most heavily promoted contest to date for the fast-rising phenom. It will be the forum for him to answer if he is the next big thing in boxing. His opponent is worthy of the hype behind this showdown.
Guillermo Rigondeaux is an amateur boxing icon. The 2000 and 2004 Olympic gold medalist is now 11-0 as pro. In his last bout, he deflated some of his own mystique with a curiously pedestrian performance, but was still overtly dominant. "El Chacal" seemed content to simply do enough to win a decision and never really pressed the action. It did give critics reason to murmur and cause supporters to slightly doubt, yet he became the full WBA champion as a result of the unanimous decision win.
This will be the most difficult professional test for the Cuban sensation. He has yet to face any foe of merit in the professional ranks and has proven he can easily outclass B and C level challengers. At 32 years old, it is time for him to step up in competition. Impressively, he has accepted a big jump in class and a win will cause an explosion in the boxing world. Furthermore, it will answer if he is the real deal or not.
Rigondeaux has the speed, technique and pedigree to be a legend. While he might be the greatest technical fighter in the universe, he has never met a proven champion like Donaire, and while Donaire has defeated big names in boxing, he has never faced off against such a perfect boxing machine as Guillermo before. Any advantage in power that Donaire might have could be offset by the Cuban's athleticism, boxing I.Q., counter-punching and slick defense. One could submit for debate, based on achievements and analyses, that these two are better than Mayweather and Pacquiao ever were.
While the sporting world would still greatly benefit from witnessing a Pac-Man-Mayweather bout, it is less relevant now than it once was. They remain Hall of Famers and truly great champions but Manny is now 34 and has lost two in a row; his last knockout was in 2009. Floyd is 36 next month. He continues to taint his illustrious legacy by spending his final years fighting weak competition.Today, in 2013, the better fight is the one in April than any theoretical blockbuster between two great fighters; the torch has been passed.
The Nonito Donaire-Guillermo Rigondeaux showdown is is arguably the biggest blockbuster available in boxing today. Ring Magazine ranks Donaire as No. 3 pound-for-pound and has Rigondeaux as the division's No. 1 contender. This clearly surpasses fighters who have yet to sign for a fight this year—Canelo Alvarez, Yuriorkis Gamboa, Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao—and is more intriguing than the scheduled fights for Andre Ward post-surgery (Kelly Pavlik), Sergio Martinez (Martin Murray) and Adrien Broner (Gavin Rees).
Either fighter will also have a great test in the division's other champion, Abner Mares. Excitingly, there is Gary Russell Jr.,who is billed as a blue-chip prospect, waiting at 126. Hopefully, there will be at least a trilogy here between these two cavaliers and additional blockbuster fights with Mares and Russell. Boxing could be on the precipice of a watershed era tantamount to: Hagler, Hearns, Sugar and Duran.
Boxing's future is bright with stars like these two who are actually willing to make the big fights happen! As the wall at Kronk gym expounds, "The greater the sacrifice, the greater the reward."
These two are boxing's best bet to become the next pay-per-view kings and legends of the sport. Credit both of them for taking this fight as it is dangerous for both. Prepare yourself to witness two artists that are renowned masters in their skill. This transcends Manning-Brady, Federer-Nadal, Kobe-Lebron; this is boxing. April 27, 2013 will be etched in sporting lore forever.
Abner Mares vs. Guillermo Rigondeaux Must Be Made in Early 2013
Dec 14, 2012
Guillermo Rigondeaux (11-0, 8 KO) was set to defend his WBA super bantamweight world title against Thai fighter Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym (48-2, 33 KO) until his opponent tested positive for HIV.
Dan Rafael of ESPN reports that the Texas Department of Licensing and Registration cancelled the match that was set to take place in Houston on Dec. 15.
Rigondeaux would have faced the biggest test of his professional career had he faced Kratingdaenggym. Now without an opponent, there's only one way to turn this unfortunate event into a positive: make a fight with Abner Mares.
Mares (25-0-1, 13 KO) is the undefeated WBC super bantamweight world champion. A fight between the two would be the second-biggest fight possible in the 122-lb division.
Whoever won would undoubtedly set the stage for a clash with the biggest star of the super bantamweight division, Nonito Donaire (30-1, 19 KO).
The only problem with making this match would be its rival promoters, Golden Boy, who represent Mares; and Top Rank, who represent Rigondeaux.
Top Rank and Golden Boy have been intent on not co-promoting an event together for quite some time. But Top Rank recently outbid Golden Boy to host a fight between Top Rank fighter Vanes Martirosyan (32-0-1, 20 KO) and Golden Boy fighter Erislandy Lara (17-1-2, 11 KO).
The match was held on Nov. 10 and was fairly scored a draw. If Mares-Rigondeaux is to happen, one of the promoters must purchase the services of the rival promoter's fighter.
Seeing that Golden Boy allowed Lara to be purchase by Top Rank last time, Top Rank should return the favor and allow Rigondeaux to be purchased this time. The two promoters would be trading one Cuban fighter for the other. If Rigondeaux wins, Top Rank can have an in-house superfight between Donaire and Rigondeaux.
If Mares wins, Top Rank can offer to buy the services of Mares from Golden Boy so they can host the Donaire-Mares matchup.
Otherwise, Mares and Rigondeaux have nothing to do except wait for Donaire to pick one of them. If Rigondeaux and Mares fight, Donaire's next opponent becomes as clear as day.
Nonito Donaire vs. Abner Mares: Yet Another Great Fight Promoters Have Stalled
Dec 9, 2012
Sanctioning bodies and rival promotional outfits have done their best to occupy boxing with petulance and greed. Considering that boxing’s bureaucratic institutions are technically in a unique position to help the sport, they seem to possess little foresight or desire to do so.
This unfortunate trend could continue if a fight between Nonito Donaire and Abner Mares never gets made.
Last night, Juan Manuel Marquez knocked Manny Pacquiao out cold in a sensational fight that benefited boxing. Pacquiao-Marquez IV lived up to the action and competitiveness of the previous three fights and finally crowned a definitive winner. The fight exceeded expectations and gave fans exactly what they deserve.
Well, everything except for the continued hope that Pacquiao will one day fight Floyd Mayweather.
The hypothetical Mayweather-Pacquiao fight was unlikely to ever happen anyway, and frankly, its genuine appeal had already expired. Pacquiao-Marquez IV only confirmed this. Now, boxing fans can finally let go of the Mayweather-Pacquiao albatross that has strangled the sport for years.
There was a time, however, when Mayweather-Pacquiao should have happened and would have greatly benefited the sport. Unfortunately, that was several years ago. Whether one blames Bob Arum or the fighters and their respective camps for this missed opportunity, the fact remains that everyone involved simply blew it.
A super bantamweight unification fight between WBO champion Donaire (30-1, 19 KO) and WBC boss Mares (25-0-1, 13 KO) is likely at the peak of its appeal and would feature two prizefighters who consistently seek out elite competition. It is up to Top Rank and Golden Boy to finally realize this.
With Donaire-Mares in a similar situation that Mayweather-Pacquiao was in two or three years ago, fans shouldn’t be surprised if they are again disappointed.
The frustrating inability to make Donaire-Mares has everything to do with the feud between rival promotional outfits Top Rank, who promotes Donaire, and Golden Boy, who handles Mares. In his ESPN.com boxing blog, Dan Rafael succinctly outlines the foolishness of this impasse:
Yet, it's not happening [Donaire-Mares] because of the silly, energy-sucking feud between Golden Boy and Top Rank, which has done nothing but damage the sport for years even if the bosses of the companies won't admit it.
There are a lot of fights they could make together that would be great, but Donaire-Mares is one of the very best. That is bad for the fans—the people the promoters claim to care about—and the fighters.
Frank Espinoza, who manages Mares, has told me that the one fight they really want is against Donaire. They took the [Anselmo] Moreno fight because they had no other serious options and Espinoza feels as though they were forced into it.
Donaire recently told RingTV.com’s Lem Satterfield that he is keen to make a fight with Mares:
“I want to request that fight with Mares to happen. I requested that fight last year and this year, but it never happened,” said Donaire of Mares, who dropped Moreno during the fifth round of a victory that ended Moreno's 27-bout winning streak.
“Maybe now that he's calling me out on national television, it might happen. We'll see, but I want to try to get that fight for next year. But we'll see. I'll fight Mares, who is the Golden Boy guy as well. We'll have to wait for that negotiation to present itself. But I want that fight in order to begin cleaning out this division and then move up to 126.”
This echoes sentiments that both Mares and Espinoza have expressed. Of course, Satterfield also notes that Donaire has been linked to a potential fight against WBA 122-pound champion Guillermo Rigondeaux, which could happen if the Donaire-Mares stalemate continues.
Still, Donaire-Mares is one of the few fights in boxing that can generate unanimous, widespread excitement and captivate casual fans.
If Donaire understands the importance of securing this fight as soon as possible, Mares appears to be a willing and enthusiastic adversary. In an interview with BoxingScene.com, Mares acknowledges that he has noticed some flexibility between Top Rank and Golden Boy and that he’s now more “excited” than “frustrated” about the prospect of fighting Donaire.
In the same interview, Mares claims that fighting Donaire could “help save boxing and bring it back to where it was.” This type of hyperbole is expected from fighters trying to promote a bout. That said, the idea of one specific fight “saving” boxing is the exact fallacy that blew the prospect of Mayweather-Pacquiao out of proportion.
This is not meant to downgrade the significance of Donaire-Mares. Donaire and Mares are peaking, and they have both strung together runs of impressive victories against elite opponents.
At 30, Donaire is in the midst of his prime and clearly wants to maximize it. As a result, Top Rank and Golden Boy must realize that waiting beyond 2013 to make Donaire-Mares is tempting fate.
Fighters can often suffer steep an unexpected declines in boxing’s smaller weight classes. While nothing suggests that this will happen to Donaire imminently, there is no need to risk it.
More fights between elite champions is what boxing needs. A stylistic breakdown of why Donaire versus Mares is a tremendous matchup is best saved for another article. Still, Mares’ combination of skill and aggression would undoubtedly produce fierce exchanges when pitted against Donaire’s classy boxing an unparalleled explosiveness.
Waiting too long to make this fight negates the potential historical and financial benefits of a rematch or trilogy should the first fight prove worthy. If both boxers are sincere in their desire to fight each other, it is now exclusively up to the promoters to grow up.
Sadly, this remains a frightening and unlikely prospect.
The result of Pacquiao-Marquez IV liberated boxing fans from the clutches of Mayweather-Pacquiao. Now, boxing can move on and thrive if the appropriate fights are made and the wishes of the actual fighters and fans are met. Donaire and Mares can be crucial in this transition.
Let’s hope all promotional outfits allow this to happen.
Nonito Donaire: Why Fighter of the Year Honors Are Well Within His Grasp
Nov 18, 2012
Nonito Donaire just might win fighter of the year honors if he can score a dominant victory over Jorge Arce when the two meet on HBO in Houston next month.
A win over Arce would be a great way to cap off what has been a stellar year for the 30-year-old Filipino-American fighter known as the Filipino-Flash.
The fight against Arce will be the fourth of the year for Donaire, which is something that just doesn't happen anymore in the sport.
Most of the elite fighters on the mythical pound-for-pound list only fight once or maybe twice a year, so for Donaire to fight four times in the same year is pretty remarkable.
It's not as though he has been fighting bums either. So far in 2012, Donaire has faced and defeated three former or current world champions.
First up was Puerto Rico's Wilfredo Vasquez Jr., who sported a record of 21-1-1 with 18 knockouts coming in to the fight with Donaire. The fight went the full 12 rounds for the vacant WBO 122-pound title, and while the judges had it a split decision, in reality it wasn't even close.
Although it wasn't as exciting as Donaire's devastating knockout of Fernando Montiel the previous year, it was still an impressive win over the former WBO super bantamweight titleholder.
Next up for the slick Bay Area fighter was IBF super bantamweight titleholder Jeffery Mathebula, who posed a big challenge for the 5'5" fighter.
Mathebula, at nearly 6'0", is freakishly tall for the weight division, but in the end it wouldn't make any difference as Doniare would go on to dominate his much taller foe, knocking him down in the fourth round and breaking his jaw on the way to a unanimous 12-round decision win.
Then just last month on Oct. 13, Donaire was back in action against Japan's Toshiaki Nishioka, who was considered coming in to the fight the best super bantamweight in the world.
The fight was initially pretty boring as the rightful WBC 122-pound champion Nishioka was very wary of the power-punching Donaire and seemed more worried about his defense than initiating any offense of his own.
The fight picked up in Round 6 when Doniare dropped Nishioka for the first time in the fight. After tasting the canvas, the Japanese fighter seemed to come alive and actually started fighting back, but he was no match for Donaire.
The fight would come to an end in Round 9 when Nishioka once again was put on the canvas. He would beat the count, but referee Raul Caiz Sr. would stop the fight seconds later following another brutal combination of punches from Donaire.
In Arce, Donaire will be facing a 17-year veteran of the sport with 70 fights under his belt. Arce has held titles in four weight divisions and is one of the most exciting fighters in all of boxing.
If Donaire can add a win over Arce to his 2012 resume, I think he will be a lock for fighter of the year honors.
Abner Mares vs. Anselmo Moreno: Fight Time, Date, Live Stream, TV Info and More
Nov 7, 2012
The Staples Center in Los Angeles will be host to a fantastic super bantamweight clash. WBC champion Abner Mares will defend his title against Anselmo Moreno on Saturday night.
Mares is 24-0 with 13 KOs in his career. He has long been considered one of the sport's best and brightest stars. This is yet another opportunity for Mares to show his brilliance. His challenge is not a simple one, though.
Moreno is a slick, defensive wizard and the owner of a nearly unblemished record. At 33-1 with 12 KOs, he doesn't bring power as a main weapon, but his movement and jab is an issue for almost every opponent.
The one blemish on his record is really insignificant at this point because it took place 10 years ago. Moreno was still fighting four-round fights at the time.
This a fight features two elite 122-pounders, but it could be the precursor to an even bigger fight. Mares has the name recognition, and he dreams of a unification bout with Nonito Donaire, per The Ring Magazine, but the Top Rank-Golden Boy feud may block that fight.
Before he can think too heavily on that potential superfight, he must first handle this very formidable foe.
Mares reminds me a lot of a smaller Amir Khan. They are both clean, quick and accurate in close with combinations, but the differences are simple. Mares has a much better chin and Khan has more power—proportionately speaking.
Like Khan, Mares' warrior instinct entices him to trade on the inside, though he doesn't have the same bite on his punches; he is more equipped to withstand the punishment he makes himself susceptible to.
Along with great combination punching, Mares loves to work the body. That was never more apparent than it was in his first bout with Joseph Agbeko. That fight was marred by poor officiating, as Mares' body work was south of the border several times; it did show his commitment to mixing up his attack.
The blows didn't look intentional, but he still deserved to have points deducted because of the frequency.
Check out the highlights:
Mares has heart, and he is well-trained. He shows great composure—even when he's hurt, or he has his opponent dazed. His overall skill level is elite.
Weaknesses
Mares fights like a fighter that brings more TNT in the ring than he does.
Against powerful opponents, this could be a major issue. He doesn't always move his head enough and he tends to concentrate too much on his offense. Because of these flaws, he is open for the big shot during exchanges—and off of feints.
The lack of head movement could be a jabber's dream, as could his tendency to cut. He suffered lacerations in both Agbeko fights; this is something to watch as his career moves forward.
Game Plan
Against Moreno, patience will be the key. Mares wants to bang, but that isn't Moreno's fight.
He knows he can't beat Mares in that type of bout. The champion will have to apply the pressure by walking forward, cutting off angles and by looking for opportunities to counter.
Though Moreno is stepping up in weight, he is taller and has the longer reach.
Mares must show more head movement in this fight as Moreno is almost certain to try to use his jab and movement to outpoint him. Mares' major challenge will be handling Moreno's length, elusiveness and his southpaw stance.
It is a combination that could be troubling if Mares doesn't show patience.
Moreno uses his wide stance, height, arm length and skill to keep opponents at a distance. Many fans don't like his style as Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports attests, but it has certainly been effective.
He controls tempo as well as any fighter in the lower weight classes.
Because he doesn't pack a huge punch, he has devised an approach that maximizes his unique abilities. Rarely will you see a fighter at this weight class with the ability to use length the Moreno does.
Slick defense is also a staple of Moreno's repertoire. He slips punches with a variety of head movement and ducking. Even if he's dazed, it is very difficult to land multiple shots on him.
Take a look at this clip of Moreno against Nehomar Cermeno:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ng_X95jFZ04
Weaknesses
The only real weakness in Moreno's game is his lack of power. Although he can completely control the tempo of a bout, he is susceptible to the fight-changing blow from his opponent.
He's been in the ring with big punchers like Vic Darchinyan—whom he beat soundly in December of 2011—and he has withstood their charge. Because it is so difficult to hit him flush, he creates very small windows for his opponents to expose him.
Game Plan
Keep the jab in Mares' face, but he must mix that punch in with the occasional hard left and uppercuts. Mares will have to go low to evade the jab; Moreno's uppercut could be the second most important punch in this fight.
Using his jab and his reach could frustrate Mares and reopen the cuts he's suffered in the Agbeko fights.
Prediction
I commend Mares for taking this fight because this is no simple task.
He obviously wants Donaire, but Moreno is a speed bump that will turn into a pot hole. I see Moreno outboxing, frustrating and bruising Mares' face in this bout.
Whether the judges award him the decision is a different story, but Moreno should win this fight by unanimous decision.
Follow Brian Mazique and Franchiseplay on YouTube and Twitter for reactions, analysis and news from the world of sports and sports video games.
Nonito Donaire Shows Class in Stopping a Tentative Toshiaki Nishioka
Oct 14, 2012
The fight between pound-for-pound stalwart Nonito Donaire and Japanese challenger Toshiaki Nishioka figured to be an elite, championship-level chess match.
Nishioka (39-5-3, 24 KO), who vacated his WBC super bantamweight title for the opportunity to fight Donaire (30-1, 19 KO), came into the bout riding a 16-fight unbeaten streak, including eight consecutive wins in title fights (with one victory in an interim title bout).
According to ESPN's Dan Rafael, Donaire vacated his IBF strap before the fight, meaning that only the WBO title was at stake for both fighters (Japan does not recognize the IBF). Still, given the credentials of both Donaire and Nishioka, unanimous pound-for-pound recognition and The Ring title were the major chips at stake in this fight.
The fight's first three rounds were certainly cagey, and Nishioka (especially) seemed overly cautious. Donaire, though he wasn't landing telling shots, easily swept the first three stanzas due to his sustained punch output.
Maddeningly concerned about Donaire's left hook, Nishioka, a southpaw, kept his lead right hand ridiculously high in anticipation of the blow. Nishioka often resorted to throwing single shots, and with Donaire getting outside position for his lead foot, Nishioka was unable to establish leverage for his straight left hand.
Donaire started to create an obvious advantage when he focused on throwing his straight right hand. This established openings for combinations, even if he wasn't able to hurt Nishioka through the first third of the fight.
Surprisingly, Nishioka seemed tight, and through five rounds, his highest punch output for a single stanza had been 21 punches. Nearing the halfway mark, it seemed that Nishioka was already in survival mode.
In Round 6, both fighters started to open up, and Nishioka, for the first time, began to put some combinations together. This newfound aggression, however, landed Nishioka on the canvas as Donaire connected with a sneaky left uppercut that split the Japanese fighter's high guard. Both fighters exchanged until the bell with Donaire getting the better of the action.
Round 7 proved uneventful other than a clash of heads, but the second half of the eighth stanza had solid action with Donaire punching in combinations and Nishioka loading up on his left hand, hoping to land a knockout punch.
Given the dearth of overall action, Round 9 ended up being unexpectedly decisive. After pushing Donaire to the canvas, Nishioka backed him up to the ropes and seemed to be gaining confidence as he threw a series of jabs and straight left hands. However, as Nishioka threw a telegraphed jab, Donaire landed a perfect counter right hand that floored his opponent.
Nishioka beat the count, but after eating one left uppercut, his corner elected to throw in the towel. While the stoppage seemed premature, it was a somewhat merciful end to what ultimately amounted to a plodding fight.
Donaire did show his class in adapting his game plan to what Nishioka gave him, and he held Nishioka to only 49 connected punches during the entire fight. As for his next move, everyone wants to see Donaire fight Abner Mares. However, due to the Top Rank-Golden Boy feud, that fight is sadly unlikely to materialize soon.
Another intriguing option includes Guillermo Rigondeaux, though Donaire told Max Kellerman in a post-fight interview that he believes the Cuban champion needs more notable victories to make such a bout viable. Donaire could choose to move up in weight, but regardless of what he decides to do, he unquestionably proved that he is one of the best fighters in the world.
As for Nishioka, at 36 and now title-less, his next move seems murky, and after his performance on HBO, it seems unlikely that a major American network will be clamoring to have him back.
Nonito Donaire vs Toshiaki Nishioka Promises Fierce Action and a Close Decision
Oct 12, 2012
Saturday’s showdown between Nonito Donaire and Toshiaki Nishioka at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California is almost a rarity in boxing: a genuinely elite, championship fight.
With the plethora of alphabet title sanctioning bodies consistently increasing their stranglehold on boxing’s 17 weight classes, unification fights and bouts contested for a division’s lineal championship have fallen victim to fighter’s content to annex one belt and make pointless mandatory defenses.
Donaire (29-1, 18 KO), 29, has consistently bucked this disturbing trend. Having been a unified champion at flyweight, bantamweight and super bantamweight, he has made a concerted effort to fight the best available opponents, all while establishing himself as one of the most electrifying pound-for-pound fighters in the world.
Nishioka (39-4-3, 24 KO), 36, should also be celebrated for his desire to fight Donaire. According to ESPN.com’s Dan Rafael, Nishioka vacated his WBC title to avoid a meaningless mandatory defense, and his patience in waiting to secure the Donaire fight has certainly paid dividends.
Both fighters boast an impressive championship pedigree. Of course, Donaire has defeated the likes of Vic Darchinyan, Raúl Martinez, Fernando Montiel, Omar Andrés Narváez, Wilfredo Vázquez Jr. and Jeffrey Mathebula, amongst others. Whether fighting brawlers, taller boxers or supposedly stronger men, Donaire has always had an emphatic answer and has become known for scoring spectacular stoppages.
Nishioka’s career at the championship level began ominously as he went 0-2-2 in four world title fights against the same man: Veeraphol Sahaprom. Three of these setbacks were especially razor thin, and the two even bouts were actually split draws.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVZB7Apu7B0
Undeterred, Nishioka captured the interim WBC title in 2008, which he quickly elevated to full championship status in his next bout with a stoppage win over Genaro Garcia. Other Nishioka victims during his championship reign include Jhonny González, Rendall Munroe and Rafael Márquez. Having made six defenses since he became the full WBC 122-pound champion, Nishioka is riding a 16-fight winning streak (overall) dating back to 2004.
Before analyzing the fight’s tactical essentials and potential outcome, here is the tale of the tape for both fighters (record in championship fights includes interim title bouts):
With relatively even credentials and Nishioka offsetting his age disadvantage with supreme conditioning, one of the most important factors in determining the outcome of this fight is ring generalship.
As a slick and strong orthodox fighter, Donaire possesses power in both fists, including a solid straight right hand and a devastating left hook. Whether he is stalking or counter-punching, one of Donaire’s greatest assets is his balance and explosiveness as he uses incredible leverage to throw punches.
For Donaire, negating Nishioka’s lead right hand will be essential. Whether he chooses to counter overtop with his left hook or apply pressure to eventually create openings for his offense, much of his success will come from setting traps and baiting Nishioka into his optimal punching range.
Donaire will have to employ movement to slip punches and return fire quickly. Conventional wisdom would have Donaire move to his left to create openings for his straight right hand down the middle, and while this somewhat negates his left hook, Donaire might have to initiate offense with right hand power punches to create openings for his left.
Nishioka is a quality volume and combination puncher with a devastating straight left hand and uppercut. The fact that both boxers carry explosive power in their left hands is one factor that makes this fight so intriguing. Nishioka will undoubtedly want to circle to his right to optimize the chances to land his straight left hand down the middle, but doing so moves him directly into Donaire’s left hook.
Because Donaire and Nishioka might end up running into each other’s best power punches, watching each fighter’s foot placement will be essential.
Much of the fight’s subtle movement will involve whether Nishioka will be able to get his lead foot outside of Donaire’s. If Nishioka can do this, he will be able to throw his straight left hand down the pipe. Conversely, if Donaire can counter this with feints and half steps back or to the side, he might be able to force Nishioka to lunge with his punches, which will create opportunities for counters.
Nishioka’s straight and sharp punches could still be effective if he crowds Donaire and takes away his leverage. Staying at range is inviting a knockout punch from Donaire, whose greatest key to victory will be variety. A predictable pattern of offense or movement plays right into Nishioka’s hands.
One thing Donaire will want to avoid is loading up on shots the way he did against Mathebula. Donaire could get picked apart if he guns for the knockout, but it seems reasonable to suspect that his punches will be fluid and that he will box intelligently.
Donaire-Nishioka promises to be the ultimate chess match. The most telling blows will likely be the ones where a prior subtle advantage has been established through feints or movement. Given both fighters' versatility, expect a close decision with Donaire taking the fight by scores in the neighborhood of 116-112 or closer.
Frampton vs. Molitor: Can Top UK Prospect Defeat Former World Champion?
Sep 19, 2012
After a tremendous weekend for boxing where the well-rounded yet dueling cards headlined by Sergio Martinez vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez vs. Josesito Lopez provided drama and thrilling stoppages, fans are inevitably left to come down from the high.
According to ESPN.com’s Dan Rafael, ESPN3 could very well provide a satisfactory interim fix for fans curious to see one of the United Kingdom’s top prospects. This Saturday, ESPN3.com will carry live coverage (4 p.m. ET) of the bout between Northern Ireland’s Carl Frampton and former two-time IBF super bantamweight champion Steve Molitor of Canada.
Frampton (14-0, 9 KO) has a solid backing with Hall-of-Fame fighter Barry McGuigan as his manager, and the 25-year-old, despite only 14 career bouts, seems poised to ascend to the world level. Having already claimed the Commonwealth (British Empire) and IBF Inter-Continental super bantamweight titles, Frampton will be putting both minor straps on the line against his toughest opponent to date.
Molitor (34-2, 12 KO) first won the IBF title in 2006 with a fifth-round knockout of Brit Michael Hunter and went on to make five defenses in rapid succession before getting blown out in four rounds by Celestino Caballero in a significant unification fight. After stringing together three consecutive victories, Molitor again captured the IBF strap and would make one defense before losing a unanimous decision to Takalani Ndlovu, a man Molitor had stopped during his first title reign.
At 32, it is fair to speculate as to whether Molitor is on the downside of his career. Never a thudding puncher, Molitor has consistently relied on his speed and precise boxing, and one wonders whether the loss to Ndlovu is a sign of eroding skills.
Conversely, Frampton is clearly a fighter on the rise. Blessed with well-honed boxing skills, a willingness to engage and quality power for his weight class, Frampton exhibits the poise and ring generalship of a veteran fighter. In his last fight—on the undercard of the Carl Froch-Lucian Bute title fight in Nottingham—Frampton won a decision over the tough Raul Hirales. Most impressive was Frampton’s sustained offense and unwillingness to allow his iron-chinned opponent to thwart his game plan.
Frampton will need to make full use of his maturity against Molitor, who, despite his recent setback followed by a tight split decision win over Sebastien Gauthier, still brings world-level boxing ability and the experience of 10 championship bouts to the table, not to mention an abundance of confidence as quoted in Rafael’s article:
This is too soon for Frampton. He has never been in the ring with someone on my level. He is a good boxer, very aggressive, but he makes a lot of mistakes that I plan on capitalizing on. The plan is to win convincingly here against a young undefeated prospect, and that will put me in line for a world title.
Molitor has reasons for optimism, even after losing his world title two fights ago; as a pro, Molitor is 4-0 in the UK, with two of those wins having come in world championship bouts. Still, Molitor will need more than history on his side if he hopes to defeat Frampton, and this bout might be the case of a prospect catching a former champion at the opportune moment.
Other than his last three fights against Kris Hughes, Prosper Ankrah and the aforementioned Hirales, Frampton has not fought anyone of consequence, whereas Molitor has been at the championship level since before Frampton turned pro.
It is of course admirable that Frampton is willing to take a significant risk and step up in class so early in his career. Expect Molitor to extend Frampton the distance and even cause moments of distress with his boxing skills and experience. While Frampton is the obvious choice to win—perhaps by late stoppage—don’t be shocked if Molitor nips him for a tight decision.
Rigondeaux vs. Marroquin: Fight Time, Date, Live Stream, TV Info and More
Sep 13, 2012
Despite a myriad of controversy, the super bantamweight championship bout between titlist Guillermo Rigondeaux and Robert Marroquin will take place as planned on Saturday night.
The fight had been pulled from the undercard of the Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.-Sergio Martinez main event as recently as Sept. 6 (per ESPN's Dan Rafael). However, it was re-added Tuesday after some legal jostling allowed Rigondeaux and management reached a settlement (per ESPN's Dan Rafael).
A 31-year-old Olympic gold medalist in 2000 and 2004, Rigondeaux did not make his professional debut until May 2009 after a defection his native Cuba. The southpaw is undefeated in his 10 fights since leaving his homeland, and comes in as the prohibitive favorite for Saturday night.
At just 23 years old, Marroquin is a prospect getting his first chance at championship glory. Expect him to come out and make title retention more difficult than expected for Rigondeaux.
With that in mind, here's everything you need to know about the super bantamweight fight.
Truth be told, fighting Marroquin was not the high-profile match that the Cuban star wanted.
Rigondeaux's skill as a fighter has largely gone under-the-radar because most of his fights have come against second-tier fighters. And fellow high-ranked fighters like Nonito Donaire are seemingly unwilling to take on the Cuban star until his profile rises, so he'll need to make his fights more appealing going forward.
With that in mind, it's possible that Rigondeaux comes out overly aggressive and opens up some easy strikes for Marroquin. In addition, a week ago Rigondeaux thought he would be sitting at home Saturday night instead of fighting. Those starts and stops had to affect his preparation and conditioning.
The southpaw is the superior fighter by a pretty large margin. Instead of coming out and trying to make a big splash, Rigondeaux needs to simply continue his dominant standard while sticking to a disciplined attack.
If he does that, the 31-year-old will cruise to victory.
Marroquin's Keys to Victory
Extend the fight. Take advantage of every mistake.
The young American cannot win this contest in its first six rounds. If these two fighters start going blow-for-blow, Rigondeaux will simply overpower Marroquin and come away with an easy victory.
Instead, Marroquin will have to come out with a relatively conservative approach and try to wear his opponent down over the course of the fight. That strategy will likely result in an early hole on the scorecards, but that's to be expected.
If the pre-fight jostling does cause fatigue for Rigondeaux as the fight progresses, the Dallas native should have plenty of opportunities for big counter punches.
All it takes is one of those late-round punches to land squarely for Marroquin to come away with an upset victory.
What They're Saying
In his preview of the fight, Boxing Insider'sWilliam Holmes shed light on Rigondeaux's pure dominance as since becoming a professional.
He’s a southpaw in his early thirties, and he has incredibly quick reflexes and surprising power. He’s made experienced boxers look foolish. He went to Willie Casey’s backyard and schooled him in one round. He knocked out previous champion Rico Ramos in the sixth round and barely broke a sweat. He defeated Philadelphia native Teon Kennedy by a 5th round TKO and knocked him down five times.
Even though Marroquin has over twice as many professional fights as Rigondeaux, none of his wins are quite as impressive. That history (albeit short) of embarrassing better opponents is one of the reasons the Cuban is considered a favorite.
Prediction
Both fighters are supremely skilled guys who could have bright futures. Regardless, Rigondeaux is simply on a higher level at this point in his career.
Expect the Cuban to come out with a succession of power punches that inhibit Marroquin early and inhibit the 23-year-old's ability to take this fight the distance.
Rigondeaux will win by either TKO or knockout, and I'm going with the former.
