It’s been more than five years since Nonito Donaire planted a devastating left hand on Vic Darchinyan’s chin and walked away with the IBF flyweight title in a huge upset.
As impressive as that victory was, no one could have predicted what the “Filipino Flash” has become — a four-division world champion and consensus top five pound-for-pound entrant. He has since dominated every fighter placed before him.
Now, though, Donaire faces a real threat, the most legitimate since Fernando Montiel in 2011. He meets Toshiaki “The Speed” Nishioka, the WBC super bantamweight champion who has not lost a fight in more than eight years
Those who have seen Donaire lately may wonder what all the fuss is about. Sure, the 29-year-old from San Leandro, Calif., is fast and skilled, but where’s the noted power? Where is the left hand that creamed Darchinyan? Where is the left hand that flattened Montiel in 2011’s “Knockout of the Year”?
After all, Donaire, 29-1 (18 knockouts), has given us more memorable knockouts in the last five years than fellow Filipino Manny Pacquiao.
In their place have been snoozers, with Omar Narvaez, Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. and Jeffrey Mathebula — his last three fights that have been 12-round decision wins.
But that’s what happens when you climb three weight classes in five years. At 5-foot-5, he has always had the frame to put on the pounds, though his power appears to have diminished.
He had Mathebula down and almost out. He just couldn’t finish the job, despite the South African suffering a broken jaw.
DANGER: NISHIOKA
Southpaw Nishioka, 39-4-3 (24 KOs), of Tokyo, is just the kind of guy who will test Donaire. He’s beaten Jhonny Gonzalez (TKO 3) and Ivan Hernandez (KO 3). In his last fight, he dominated future Hall-of-Famer Rafael Marquez over 12 rounds. However, the Marquez fight was more than a year ago. Nishioka is 36 years old.
Donaire will use his speed and reflexes to continuously beat Nishioka to the punch. He will be at his best. Because, if his past has told us anything, it’s that the ‘Filipino Flash’ is best when it matters most.
The Donaire-Nishioka fight will be aired live on ABS-CBN.
RIOS VS ALVARADO
You never know with boxing. A fight that looks can’t-miss on paper can miss. The way boxing writers have built this one up over the past couple of weeks, you’d think it was a combination of Hagler vs. Hearns and Balboa vs. Drago.
But, really, the 140-pound undercard showdown between Brandon Rios and Mike Alvarado looks like a sure bet for excitement and drama.
Rios, 30-0-1 (22 KOs), of Oxnard, Calif., won the WBA lightweight title in 2011 with a knockout victory over Miguel Acosta (TKO 10). He followed that up with knockouts of Urbano Antillon (KO 3) and John Murray (TKO 11).
He looked like boxing’s next big thing until severe weight problems resulted in him being stripped of the title before the Murray fight for failure to make weight. In his follow-up fight, he was undressed by Richard Abril despite winning a ridiculous decision last April.
Now, it’s redemption time for “Bam Bam,” and he’ll go up against Denver’s “Mile High” Alvarado, 33-0 (23 KOs). His biggest win: a 2011 TKO of Amir Khan-conqueror Breidis Prescott (TKO 10).
Alvarado is a big, strong 140-pounder who won’t be pushed around. But Rios simply has too much skill and experience for him. It will be a great fight, if a bit one-sided. Matthew Aguilar with Correspondent Rene Bonsubre Jr