Flyweight

There should be two flyweights on your pound-for-pound top-10 list. 

Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez is one. The other, the best Mexican boxer in the world not named “Dinamita” Marquez, Juan Francisco Estrada. 

WBA and WBO flyweight champion “El Gallo” Estrada (27-2, 20 KO) stopped the resilient Giovani Segura in the 11th round Saturday night. Estrada completely outclassed his older opponent, a former pound-for-pounder himself after two savage knockouts of the brilliant Ivan Calderon. 

Felicidades a @GalloEstradaOfi campeón mundial unificado, tras vencer a Giovani Segura en la Arena Ciudad de México. pic.twitter.com/TZe3Tad3bg

— WBO (@WorldBoxingOrg) September 7, 2014

Segura (32-4-1, 28 KO) is a mauling southpaw who was victorious over Hernan “Tyson” Marquez in 2013’s Fight of the Year. His forte for violence is well documented but he wasn’t ready for the advanced skill set the 24-year-old Estrada carried into the ring with him.

The disparity in talent was apparent early. 

Estrada, one of boxing's leading ring generals, fired a long jab and stepped around and away from his opponent’s harmful left. Segura pressed forward but the younger Mexican slipped his looping hooks with ease and returned a left hand to the liver for his trouble. “El Gallito” ("the rooster") regained the center of the ring with a supple dip and step to his left and a straight right over the top, placing him almost behind his slower opponent. From here he applied such superb pressure, Segura rode his bicycle into the ropes.

Juan Francisco Estrada defeats Giovani Segura by 11th Round TKO. Looks for rematch with @chocolatitobox #Boxing pic.twitter.com/Wm7AIGLswU

— Round By Round Boxing (@RBRBoxing) September 7, 2014

Segura never goes backwards. Against this state-of-the-art fistic machine, he had no choice.

Along the ropes, Estrada blitzed Segura with a ferocious output typified by brawlers—not technicians—but with such technique not made possible without a genius mind. 

Things didn't look any better for Segura in Rounds 2 and 3. He looked ancient and the swift Mexican abused him wherever the fight went. He tried diligently to initiate a clinch but Estrada brushed off any hopes for that with bursts of rights and lefts. 

Segura found the slightest glimpse of anything remotely resembling success in the fourth. He met his foe in the center of the ring and the two traded wallops. “El Gallo’s” looked crisper but some of Segura’s curled punches crashed into his jaw. Estrada’s whiskers, though, were on full display. He’s taken “The Hawaiian Punch” Brian Viloria and combination-punching marvel Chocolatito Gonzalez’s best punches for a combined 24 rounds. These weren't a problem. 

Fotos: El @GalloEstradaOfi retiene sus fajas en México http://t.co/m2EqvidlBe via @undefined #boxeo pic.twitter.com/rHa5CvSwlj

— WBA Boxing (@WBABoxing) September 7, 2014

Estrada continued to have his way with the former No. 1 light flyweight through the middle rounds. Estrada’s rhythmic head bobbing looked divine at times. Segura couldn't touch him. His feet were just as smooth. But they aren’t fleet just to be cute. They move with a purpose, applying pressure, forcing the direction of the fight. 

His combinations are stunning, brutal, and yet elegant by way of a style hard to put into words. Boxing.com’s Matt McGrain likely said it best: “Estrada has grace, but a grace built for war.” The contorted right side of Segura’s face at the end of Round 5 was a direct result of this.

The onslaught carried on in Rounds 6 and 7. Punches rolled off of Segura’s head. His right eye only got worse. It was a haunting reminder of that night against Viloria nearly three years ago.

The first minute of the eighth stanza saw an Estrada straight right send Segura stumble back three steps, a short right hook did the same in Round 10 and pure domination everywhere in between.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erEzFT4epXA

Segura was a broken man in the fateful 11th round. Lethargic, he held his hands almost below his hip. He was frail. His punches—when they weren’t hitting empty air—could hardly wipe the sweat off Estrada’s broad-shouldered frame. With less than two minutes to go in the round, “El Gallito” threw a right hand that forced Sergura into an oncoming left hook.

It snapped his head back and Segura staggered into the corner. Estrada wasn’t far behind and swarmed him with a four-punch combination on the ropes. Referee Raul Caiz Jr. waved off the fight as Segura’s corner threw in the towel. Everybody had seen enough.

The Transnational Boxing Rankings Board rates Segura as the sixth best flyweight in the world. And Estrada (No. 1) made him look like club-level fighter, giving up not a single round.

Just 24, “El Gallo’s” resume is incredible and he's easily one of the top-15 boxers on the planet. And he has an incredibly strong argument for top 10.

A look at the TBRB's pound-for-pound top 10 before this weekend's action:

1.	Floyd Mayweather	46-0-0 (26)	Junior Middleweight
2.	Andre Ward	27-0-0 (14)	Super Middleweight
3.	Manny Pacquiao	56-5-2 (38)	Welterweight
4.	Timothy Bradley	31-1-0 (12)	Welterweight
5.	Juan Manuel Marquez	56-7-1 (40)	Welterweight
6.	Carl Froch	33-2-0 (24)	Super Middleweight
7.	Wladimir Klitschko	62-3-0 (52)	Heavyweight
8.	Guillermo Rigondeaux	14-0-0 (9)	Junior Featherweight
9.	Danny Garcia	29-0-0 (17)	Junior Welterweight
10.	Roman Gonzalez	40-0-0 (34)	Flyweight

Estrada doesn't have the sustained success and/or depth of quality opposition as some of the bottom half of the TBRB's pound-for-pound list like Bradley, Marquez, Froch or Klitschko but his resume is nearing in on some of them.

In 2013, he upset the outstanding Brian Viloria, who at the time rated as one of the pound-for-pound 10 best fighters in the world by most who knew what they were talking about. He entirely outfought the former WBA, WBO, IBF and WBC world champion despite the atrocious 117-111 scorecard Francisco Martinez turned in for Viloria.

Danny Garcia, ranked No. 9 by the TBRB, can't match Estrada's win over a pound-for-pound claimant like that. Lucas Matthysse comes close but ultimately falls short. The Argentine slugger has never been the best fighter at 140 pounds, let alone one of the 10 best fighters in the world. With Gonzalez's imminent rise into the top-five following his stellar performance this weekend, "El Gallito" should slide in above Garcia. And he's got a bit of depth to back it up.

After his triumph over Viloria, he defeated the tactical Milan Melindo, the seventh-rated flyweight in the world at the time by The Ring Magazine. The Philippine Melindo still rates as a borderline top-10 contender today. And at flyweight—the deepest division in boxing—that means more than being a fringe top-10 fighter in another weight class.

Following his 12-round unanimous-decision victory over Melindo, Estrada stopped another tough Philippine in Richie Mepranum who dealt “Tyson” Marquez his first career loss.

Now you can add an 11-round pummeling of another top-10 flyweight in Segura to that resume. And then there’s Roman Gonzalez.

On the back of Gonzalez’s beating of Akira Yaegashi—winning a world title in his third weight class—Chocolatito propelled himself into the upper echelon of boxing’s elite. Look for him to break into most reputable publication’s top-five pound-for-pound lists, even as high as No. 3. He’s more than worthy of such acclaim.

“El Gallo” and Gonzalez met up and traded fists in late 2012 and it was extremely competitive. Gonzalez clearly finished the stronger of the two. But Estrada, then just 22, forced the action enough to steal most of, if not the entire first half of the fight.

With every victory for the Nicaraguan since, Estrada looks better and better for it and vice versa after performances like Estrada’s this weekend.

A rematch between the two is the biggest fight boxing has to offer. 

It was the obvious match to make following Estrada’s victory Saturday night. But Gonzalez reportedly will, instead, be taking on the exhilarating former WBA flyweight champion Luis Concepcion on Nov. 22, per BoxingScene.com.

It’s a relatively quick turnaround for the flyweight kingpin. So Gonzalez-Estrada II still might not be too far away.

Even more exciting is the winner would still be in their mid-to-late 20s and a promising inheritor to Floyd Mayweather’s title as the world’s very best fighter.

Beyond the hype, below the glam divisions and beneath it all at 118 pounds and below lies an invisible world. A world of fisticuffs not restricted by promotional warfare and sleazy matchmaking. 

Too few pay attention. Too few see it.

Friday morning, before the sun touched down on most of the United States, history was being made on the other side of the globe.

Roman "Chocolatito" Gonzalez made his way to Tokyo to seize the WBC flyweight title from Akira Yaegashi via Round 9 TKO. Following in his hero Alexis Arguello's savage fists, Gonzalez became just the second fighter from Nicaragua to claim world titles in three separate weight divisions.

#Deportes13 El próximo 22 de noviembre, Román 'Chocolatito' González, defenderá su título #ChocolateTRICampeón! pic.twitter.com/hYL7YorADw

— Viva Nicaragua (@VivaNicaragua13) September 6, 2014

Gonzalez's ninth-round drumming of the excellent Yaegashi not only demonstrated the most polished two-fisted attack in the sport but also consummated his place atop the 112-pound weight class: the best division in boxing. 

Rounds 1 and 2 were tame, even a bit too predictable. Gonzalez took the center of the ring, and Yaegashi sprung from corner to corner on the outside. Both men traded jabs. It was in the second that Chocolatito found his range. He interchanged overhand rights, long stabbing lefts to the body and his patented uppercut to drive the Japanese champion into the corner. There, Gonzalez punished Yaegashi's body with punches.

Even still, Yaegashi looked no less a worthy adversary. Punches slam into his face, and he hardly flinches. He relishes war. His firefight with Kazuto Ioka in 2012 is an apt example. His melee with the hard-hitting Pornsawan Porpramook could be the greatest fight in minimumweight history.

In other words, he's the most hardened of Japanese warriors. 

So when Yaegashi went tumbling down from a vicious left hook to the chin in Round 3, you can forgive this writer’s astonishment, even against one of the most damaging punchers in recent memory.

But Yaegashi got up. He always does. And the two slugged it out for the last 10 seconds. 

The fourth stanza was brutal and fast-paced like only the little men can provide. Just a round off from taking a trip to the canvas, Yaegashi gave his best. In Round 5, he did even better. The Japanese’s output was just intense enough to throw Gonzalez slightly off rhythm and deter his ferocious attack.

Three or four of the first five rounds for Gonzalez seemed about right at this point.

Round 6 and 7 saw the Nicaraguan wonder return to the basics. He shot left jabs into Yaegashi’s face, followed by well-aimed hooks. The Japanese champion’s eyes really began to swell. They always do. His body was beginning to let him down—never the everlasting storage cell his heart is.

https://twitter.com/VoiceOfBeard/status/507979797536854016

In the eighth, two things became painfully obvious: This was Gonzalez’s fight to lose, and Yaegashi—exhausted, broken, gutsy—was going to go out on his shield. Chocolatito continued to lay into him with every punch in the book. In the ninth round, his punches still looked just as crisp as they did in the opening stanza.

The end came by way of a five-punch series of hooks and uppercuts. Yaegashi fell to his bottom, with his face dazed in the worst possible way. He made a frail attempt back to his feet. He always does. But, for once, no one wanted him to. This included referee Michael Griffin, who justly called the bout with 36 seconds to go in Round 9.

Taken over with emotion, Gonzalez (40-0, 34 KO) covered his face with his gloves. Yaegashi would eventually give the crowd a bow, swollen face and all—he maintained a warm smile. There were no insults hurled between corners. There was no animosity between fighters. 

Gonzalez and Yaegashi embraced, took pictures and shook hands with each other’s teams. They held each other’s hands up before the crowd in respect, knowing they were a part of something bigger than themselves.

This crazy sport of ours gave a kid like Gonzalez an outlet to climb his way to the top of three different weight classes and look as brilliant and flawless as anyone in doing so. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKr5aM_CJjc

Chocolatito is the sport’s premier boxer-puncher. He proved it again against the excellent Yaegashi (20-4), Ring Magazine's flyweight champion, an unshakable combatant who had never been stopped.

Gonzalez, a protege of the late, great Hall of Famer Arguello, is a lot like Gennady Golovkin. But better. He wastes no motion. Combinations trickle down from optimum distance, with every punch followed by another. He’s a lot like Sergey Kovalev, with terrifying power in both hands coupled with a full arsenal of punches. 

But he’s better. 

Neither GGG nor The Krusher has faced off with—let alone completely taken apart—as unique a stylist or as accomplished a boxer as Yaegashi. The Japanese fighter has been the No. 1 flyweight in the world since beating Toshiyuki Igarashi in 2013 and a pound-for-pound claimant over the last year, making three title defenses of his WBC belt, highlighted by veteran Oscar Blanquet and the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board’s No. 4-rated flyweight Edgar Sosa.

The former Japanese champion was the very best fighter in the very best division in boxing, and Gonzalez just wrecked him.

Golovkin holds two top-five knockout wins over Matthew Macklin and Daniel Geale and a top-10 victory over Curtis Stevens. But he’s only fought in one weight class and isn’t even clearly the No. 1 middleweight in the world. Miguel Cotto is the one who stopped Sergio Martinez. 

And Kovalev is even worse, with just two top-10 wins (Gabriel Campillo and Nathan Cleverly), the most recent dating back to late 2013.

Chocolatito, only 27, has been the top-ranking fighter in his weight class as far back as 2008 when he stomped Yutaka Niida in four rounds for the WBA minimumweight title. He defended that belt three times including a unanimous-decision victory over former No. 1 strawweight Katsunari Takayama.

He fought his way through the 108-pound division, becoming the No. 1 fighter in that weight class as well, winning and defending the WBA portion of the light flyweight title four times and knocking out former WBO light flyweight champion Ramon Garcia Hirales in four rounds. And over the last two years he has gone 8-0 with wins over current No. 1 strawweight Francisco Rodriguez Jr. and the two best flyweights in the world in Juan Francisco Estrada and Yaegashi. 

Andre Ward—for one reason or another—has fought just twice over the same time period.

Gonzalez should have been a staple on everybody’s pound-for-pound top-10 lists. Now with such a thorough thumping of a fighter like Yaegashi (the biggest win of the Nicaraguan’s career), Chocolatito is a bona fide shoo-in for the top five. 

And fighting at flyweight—the most stacked division today—he has a chance to put together the best resume of his generation, regardless of weight class.

As for the rest of the weekend, only two flyweights matter: Estrada (rated No. 1 by the TBRB) and Giovani Segura (No. 6). The two Mexicans fight Saturday night, and the winner is the perfect matchup for the newly minted champion Gonzalez.

And WBA and WBO flyweight champion “El Gallo” Estrada is more than game. He said, per TheBoxingTribune.com: "I know I'm the best in my division and I'm going to prove it. Giovani is the first on my list, and then I'm going after 'Chocolatito' Gonzalez. I want to be the champion of each of the four sanctioning bodies, and I'm already halfway there."

Those are some serious words. But it's what we've come to expect from these flyweights. They long for glory and are willing to go through anyone to get it.

That's the kind of world they fight in. And they'd be pleased to have you. 

Nonito Donaire is the new WBA super world featherweight champion. The end was anticlimactic, but he scored a fourth-round technical decision over Simpiwe Vetyeka in Macao, China on Saturday.

An accidental headbutt caused a bad cut on Donaire's head. He dominated the fight before and after the knocking of noggins and even floored Vetyeka in the fourth round.

Donaire would get the worst of two more headbutts through the second round.

Two seconds into the fifth round, referee Luis Pabon ruled that Donaire could no longer continue due to the severity of the gash.

It went to the scorecards, and Donaire prevailed 49-46 on all three judges' accounts.

Ryan Songalia of Rappler.com had the official scorecards:

Steve Kim of Max Boxing saw the ending like most did:

Bleacher Report's Kevin McRae was not impressed:

Though he's now a world champion again, this was clearly not what Donaire had in mind for a re-coronation.

Per Sports 5, he had this to say:

Vetyeka and Donaire talked more about the effects of the cut and the bout in the interview below:

Donaire handled himself as well as could be expected after the headbutt in the first round.

He cranked up the sense of urgency, hurt Vetyeka in the third round, dropped him in the fourth and dazed him again later in the round.

It looked as if it would be all downhill for Vetyeka moving forward.

That said, there's always the possibility that the momentum could shift. To Donaire's credit, he didn't attempt to parlay this win off as one of the highlights of his career.

He wants to give Vetyeka a rematch, even though opportunities for bigger and more lucrative fights are on the horizon.

This fight was supposed to set up a unification bout with Nicholas Walters, who defeated Vic Darchinyan earlier on the card.

It's unclear whether a rematch with Vetyeka would come before that bout.

Love or hate it, Donaire is the new champion and is right back in the mix of elite fighters in the world.

Follow me. I'm passionate about boxing.

@BMaziqueFPBR

A victory for Nonito "The Filipino Flash" Donaire over Super World WBA Featherweight Champion Simpiwe Vetyeka on Saturday in Macao, China, is not a foregone conclusion. But if the heavy-favorite Donaire (per OddsShark.com) does what most expect he will, he'll have a good number of options in front of him as the new champion.

Tom Gray of Ring Magazine doesn't anticipate Donaire will have many issues. Gray writes:

The lethargy that crept in during Donaire's rematch with Vic Darchinyan should be replaced by ample motivation, given that a world title in a fifth weight class is on the line. I think the "Filipino Flash" wins this fight convincingly because he is levels above the opposition.

Most of the champions at 126 pounds are signed with HBO, which means there's a good number of unification bouts within Donaire's reach should he win.

Here's a look at the possibilities.

The Winner of Nicholas Walters-Vic Darchinyan WBA World Championship Bout

This bout is on the undercard of the Donaire-Vetyeka bill and could be an entertaining fight in itself.

Walters is the only the World WBA Champion—not the Super World WBA Champion. That's just another example of how ridiculous the title structures have become in boxing.

In any case, Walters hasn't had the opportunity to prove himself on a major stage before now.

The 28-year-old Jamaican known as "The Axe Man" is 23-0 with 19 KOs. He'll be tested by the awkward, tough and unpredictable Darchinyan on Saturday. Darchinyan has faced Donaire twice and been stopped on both occasions. Still, he'd love a third shot at Donaire.

Darchinyan told Steve Kim of Max Boxing:

In the future, I’m still looking for a fight against Donaire. I’m much bigger than the last fight. You will see the difference. If I can unify the belts with him, have two titles, I think Donaire has to fight me. But I think after the last fight, Donaire’s not going to fight me because he feels my power.

If he looks too far ahead, he could find himself in peril with Walters. The champion can punch, and he has a very solid jab. By the time Saturday night is over, the Walters-Darchinyan bout might be the most memorable fight.

WBC Champion—Jhonny Gonzalez (56-8, 47 KO)

After Gonzalez's stunning upset win over Abner Mares back in Aug. 2013 that landed him the WBC title, he was inactive until winning a technical decision over Clive Atwell on May 24.

It wasn't a sparkling performance, but the 32-year-old Mexican veteran had almost a year-long layoff to deal with.

He's a big-time puncher as evidenced by his first-round decimation of Mares, and his 47 knockouts in 64 fights.

At some point he wants a rematch with Mares. It would be a major draw—especially in the Mexican boxing community.

But a fight with Donaire would be big as well. Either way, Gonzalez stands to make a good amount of cash.

IBF Champion—Evgeny Gradovich (18-0, 9 KO)

The IBF title holder is known as "The Mexican Russian" because of his fighting style and heritage. He is also in action on Saturday in Macao. He doesn't figure to have many problems with Alexander Miskirtchian, though.

Miskirtchian is slow and untested, so anything short of a dominating performance from Gradovich would be a surprise.

Gradovich is the lesser-known of the champions and potential opponents for Donaire. He's also the youngest and one of the most dangerous. A bout with Donaire could be spectacular.

Gradovich never stops coming forward, and he has foot speed that is reminiscent of Ricky Hatton. It makes for a tough matchup for any opponent.

Stylistically, his hard-charging approach against Donaire's hand speed and flashy counters could create quite an impact.

Follow me. I'm passionate about boxing.

@BMaziqueFPBR

Simpiwe Vetyeka is looking to pull his second-straight stunning upset when he faces Nonito Donaire in Macao, China, on Saturday night.

Vetyeka dominated previously unbeaten Indonesian legend Chris John in his last fight. In the process, Vetyeka captured the WBA Super World Featherweight Championship.

Now he faces Donaire in what will be an interesting bout stylistically. Donaire knows this is a huge fight for him.

There are those who believe his time as a pound-for-pound great are over. According to Lem Satterfield of Ring Magazine, Knockout Nation's Andreas Hale said this of Donaire:

It's obvious that Nonito Donaire isn't the same fighter who was considered the heir to Manny Pacquiao's throne and had a stellar 2012 campaign.

With that concept as motivation, Donaire seems intent upon proving the doubters wrong.

Donaire spoke about the fight at Thursday's pre-fight press conference in Macao. Per Karl Freitag of FightNews.com, Donaire said:

2013 was a year I would say was covered in darkness, but that’s how life is…for me this is a new beginning with Vetyeka. He’s an amazing fighter and we understand what he’s capable of. For us this is a statement, regardless of whether I have it or not. And that’s something everyone will be excited to see. And we’ll find out Saturday.

Donaire looked good at the weigh-in, as you can see below. Now it's time to show and prove in the ring.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uukVs057bZU

Here's a look at the Tale of the Tape and analysis of the matchup.

(Information per BoxRec.com. Donaire profile, Vetyeka profile.)

Donaire	Category	Vetyeka
32	Wins	26
2	Losses	2
0	Draws	0
21	KO	16
5'5.5"	Height	5'7"
126	Weight	125.5
68"	Reach	67.5"
Philippines	Country	South Africa

Experience

Donaire has more overall experience, and he also has more world championship rounds.

The Filipino Flash has 79 rounds fighting for or defending a world title. Vetyeka has just 18 if you count his 12-round battle with Daud Cino Yordan for the IBO crown.

Macao has proved to be a friendly spot for Filipino fighters of late. Manny Pacquiao bouts in Macao have seemed almost like fights in Manilla for him because of the largely pro-Pacquiao crowd.

Expect Donaire to have a similar following. That makes the environment all the more in his favor.

Length

Even though Vetyeka is an inch-and-a-half taller, Donaire's reach is a half-inch longer.

Thus there should be no real advantage for either man here. Jeffrey Mathebula gave Donaire some problems with his jab and length. But Mathebula is 5'11" with a reach of 72 inches.

Vetyeka clearly won't have that type of an advantage with his jab.

Power

Vetyeka isn't really a one-punch-knockout type of fighter, but he does have some pop. He batters opponents and can stop them with cumulative punishment. This is how he took apart John.

Can he find Donaire—a more elusive target—as frequently?

We'll find out on Saturday, but one thing is for sure, Vetyeka must beware of Donaire's nasty left hook in the process. 

Donaire proved he still has the thunder to stop an opponent with one shot.

That's what he did against Vic Darchinyan, and Vetyeka must be careful not to fall prey to Donaire's power.

Speed

Even if Donaire has lost a bit of the zip on his punches, he's still quicker than Vetyeka. The champion isn't a plodder, but his punches are clearly more methodical and take more time getting from point A to B.

Because of this dynamic, Vetyeka is better-suited closing the distance and making the fight more of a brawl.

Styles Make Fights

In recent bouts, Donaire has been looking to land the one big shot to end the night. In his prime, he was more of a boxer-puncher.

Having returned his father to his training camp, the two promise The Filipino Flash will get back to his original style.

Donaire Sr. told reporters at the pre-fight press conference, per Box Nation/East Side Boxing:

Nonito got away from what made him great – his speed and footwork in combination with his power. Last year he just came forward, didn’t move his head and relied too much on his power, and that’s exactly the wrong way to fight a pure boxer like Rigondeaux as we all saw.

If Donaire can return to his roots as a sticker and mover, Vetyeka won't have much of a chance.

The champion needs his opponent in front of him to have success. Lateral movement will give Donaire the angles and accentuate the speed advantage.

All signs point to a Donaire win, but this is boxing and anything can happen.

Follow me. I'm passionate about boxing.

@BMaziqueFPBR

Is Nonito "Filipino Flash" Donaire still one of the pound-for-pound best in boxing? Not if he can't beat WBA featherweight champion Simpiwe Vetyeka on Saturday night in Macao, China.

That's meant as no disrespect to Vetyeka. He earned his title by battering previously undefeated Chris John back in Dec. 2013.

But if Donaire were in his prime and still performing at the level he was when he flattened Fernando Montiel, Toshiaki Nishioka, Jorge Arce and Omar Narvaez (unanimous decision), he'd walk through Vetyeka.

However, since the unanimous-decision loss to Guillermo Rigondeaux and the birth of his son, Donaire hasn't looked the same.

Against Vic Darchinyan in Nov. 2013, in a rematch of a classic 2007 scrap, Donaire was getting all he could handle before he stopped the tough Armenian in the ninth round.

What's wrong? Maybe nothing. Perhaps Rigondeaux is just really that good. All signs point to that being true. El Chacal is 13-0 and made the tough Joseph Agbeko look like an amateur in their bout in Dec. 2013.

There's really no doubting Rigondeaux is one of the best in the business. But didn't we used to be sure Donaire was, too?

Maybe Darchinyan is just one of those awkward and tough guys who will always give Donaire a good fight.

That, too, isn't a preposterous statement. But perhaps the biggest reason Donaire isn't looking like a world beater anymore is because boxing is no longer the center of his world.

In this interview prior to the Rigondeaux fight, Donaire says that his soon-to-be-born son is all he thinks about. His demeanor when speaking about his upcoming bout with Rigondeaux is dismissive.

Anyone who finds fault in that is totally insane, but the truth of the matter is that athletes have to be selfish to be at their best. They have to place their preparation and practicing of their craft at the top of the mountain.

That's especially the case once they hit 30 years old and aren't blessed with the same physical gifts they had when they were in their 20s.

Donaire is now 31. 

Is he still vested enough in his craft to be an elite fighter? The questions that have arose from this article aren't the only of their kind.

In an article by Lem Satterfield of The Ring Magazine, Boxing Scene's Jake Donovan said: "The Fil-Am boxer-puncher was one of the best in the lower weight classes for the past seven years, but I believe his time passed."

Donaire wants to impress and silence all the doubters. Per Dino Maragay of The Philippine Star, Donaire said this during a pre-fight press conference: "Winning is important. But there's nothing better than a knockout. I don't predict all my fights but I always want to get a knockout."

A KO or TKO win would be big for Donaire. Vetyeka has never been stopped. A win like that would send a message to other featherweights and the boxing community that Donaire's back and ready to perform on an elite level.

If he's not impressive—or loses—all of the flash may be gone.

Follow me. I'm passionate about boxing.

@BMaziqueFPBR

There was a time not that long ago that Nonito Donaire looked downright unbeatable, but a stunning loss to Guillermo Rigondeaux and a massive struggle against Vic Darchinyan altered that reputation quickly.

The unanimous 12-round decision loss to Rigondeaux ended a winning streak that extended 30 fights and 12 years. What’s more, Donaire was dominated by Darchinyan for much of the fight before he eventually rebounded to knock out the challenger in the ninth round. Donaire even left with a fractured bone below his eye.

However, Donaire, who sports a 32-2 record with 21 knockouts, will look much more like the boxer who strung together 30 straight victories Saturday than the one who struggled in those two bouts.

Against WBA featherweight champion Simpiwe Vetyeka (26-2, 16 KO’s), Donaire will be chasing a world title in his fourth different weight class. While all the attention will be on the developments that occur inside the ring, it is actually Donaire’s family life that could have him primed for an impressive showing. 

Jeff Faraudo of the San Jose Mercury News explained why Donaire recently struggled with his boxing:

Back in Donaire's corner for this fight is his father, Nonito Sr., who sculpted his son's career from the start and had served as his head trainer. The two had a falling out several years ago because Nonito felt his father still treated him like a child.

The effects of the estrangement spilled over into the ring. Robert Garcia took over as primary coach, and Donaire's style gradually shifted from boxer to slugger.

After Donaire had a son of his own, though, he and his father reconnected.

Clearly, a father and son reuniting is more important than any boxing match could be, but in this case, it will also help Donaire in the ring. His father recently worked with Donaire as head trainer during a camp in the Philippines.

Donaire discussed why training with his father helps him prepare for matches, via Faraudo:

I'm starting to think again. Before I just would think of throwing a left hook. Now I'm trying to think of everything. My brain is starting to work all over again, which is good. 

My speed and power and the velocity of each punch is much greater. I feel good, I feel confident.

Despite the reunited family and training, Steve Kim of Max Boxing isn’t quite convinced yet that Donaire will return to his old form:

Regardless of those hesitations, we are talking about Ring Magazine’s Boxer of the Year in 2012, a fighter who will be extra motivated to avenge a difficult 2013. Vetyeka upset 10-year featherweight champion Chris John in his last fight, so Donaire will not be overlooking this match in the slightest.

Look for Donaire to come out early and establish some momentum. From there, he will use his famous speed and footwork to gradually wear out Vetyeka over the course of the fight. After all, they don’t call Donaire the “Filipino Flash” for nothing.

Working with his father again will help Donaire return to the tactical skill and speed combination that earned him so many consecutive wins in the first place. During his struggles, he was trying too hard to knock his opponents out, which ultimately cost him. With his father back in his corner honing his technique, Donaire will return to his old form. 

Vetyeka just happens to be the one standing in the way this time.

Follow me on Twitter:

Follow @ScottPolacek

Is Nonito "The Filipino Flash" Donaire (32-2, 21 KO) done as a elite fighter? He doesn't think so, but he'll have to prove it against a tough champion on Saturday night at the Cotai Arena in Macao.

The 31-year-old from Talibon in the Philippines faces WBA featherweight champion Simpiwe "V12" Vetyeka (26-2, 16 KO) in a bout that could vault Donaire into the conversation with champions like Jhonny Gonzalez, Evgeny Gradovich and Nicholas Walters. The latter two also fight in Macao on the same card.

Vetyeka took the title from previously undefeated Chris John in Dec. 2013.

Now he'll battle another high-profile opponent in his first defense.

This could be an entertaining bout. Here's how you can watch the action.

When: Saturday, May 31 

Where: Macao, China at Cotai Arena

TV: 4 p.m. ET HBO 2 (Tape Delay) 

Live Stream: 9 a.m. ET BoxNation (subscription required, region restrictions)

The Book on Donaire

At one point, Donaire was in most boxing enthusiasts' top-five pound-for-pound fighters. But after he was beaten up by Guillermo Rigondeaux in April 2013, and showed little desire to commit to the sport, his stock took a drastic dip.

Against Vic Darchinyan in their rematch of a 2007 scrap, Donaire stopped the aggressive Armenian in the ninth round. However, Donaire didn't look great in the bout.

The fight was even on one score card, and despite knocking Darchinyan down one in the decisive round, Donaire only had a four-point lead on the other two judges' cards, per BoxRec.

Per Lem Satterfield of The Ring Magazine, Donaire suffered a broken cheekbone in the fight.

It could be that Rigondeaux is just really good—which he is—and that Darchinyan is just really awkward—which he is as well. But Donaire knows he has something to prove.

Per Satterfield, Jake Donovan of Boxing Scene says:

We keep hearing about how the next fight will be Nonito Donaire at his best and his most exciting. The Fil-Am boxer-puncher was one of the best in the lower weight classes for the past seven years, but I believe his time passed.

Donaire must use these types of comments as motivation. Per Marc Anthony Reyes of the Philippines Inquirer, Donaire said:

“It’s been a long time since I entered a fight as an underdog but that has inspired me more."

Everybody needs a little inspiration some time. 

The Book on Vetyeka

Despite the fact that a win over John doesn't mean what it would have four years ago, Vetyeka is in position to really make a name for himself.

Were he to follow up his upset win over John with a victory over Donaire, the entire boxing world would have to take some notice.

The 33-year-old South African turned a corner when he stopped Daud Cino Yordan in April 2013. That won him the IBO title, and his momentum continued after beating John.

Knocking off Donaire would easily be his biggest win. The fact that the fight will be seen by a national HBO audience only makes it all the more important to shine. 

Can he create even more Donaire doubters, or will his title reign be a short one?

Prediction

In an interview posted on YouTube by P4Pesco before the Rigondeaux fight, Donaire told reporters "if a guy is faster than me, he is going to give me a lot of trouble. If he's not, it's not going to be a good fight."

While Donaire was wrong about his prediction for his scrap with El Chacal, he was right in general.

Fighters without above-average speed aren't usually going to be a major issue for him. That's the case with Vetyeka.

While he isn't exactly a plodder, he doesn't have the smooth quickness that Rigondeaux possesses, nor the herky-jerky, improbable attacks that Darchinyan has.

Donaire should win this bout with his hand speed and explosive left-hand counter shots.

A seventh-round TKO seems logical.

Follow me. I'm passionate about boxing.

@BMaziqueFPBR