Donaire stops Arce in 3rd round

Houston— Filipino Nonito Donaire stopped Jorge Arce with a left late in the third round Saturday to retain the WBO super-bantamweight title and send the Mexican veteran into retirement.

Donaire improved to 31-1 (win-loss) with his 20th knockout. Arce dropped to 61-7-2 (win-loss-draw).

“My left hook was a damaging hook tonight,” Donaire said. “I felt very strong in the ring.”

Donaire won in front of a raucous, mostly pro-Arce crowd of 7,250 at Toyota Center.

“The reason why people survive is because they are afraid to open up,” Donaire said. “I have a lot of respect for (Arce) because he came in there and he opened up. He wasn’t afraid. He was aiming to surprise me. But when he was opening up, that gave me the left hook and when I can throw sitting down on that left hook, everybody will go down.”

The 30-year-old Donaire hasn’t lost a fight in more than 11 years. He also knocked down Arce with about 2 minutes to go in the second round with a right-left combination.

“I’d promised my kids that If I lost this fight, I’d retire,” said the 33-year-old Arce, a former world champion. “Fortunately, I have taken care of what I have earned through the years.”

The fight headlined HBO’s “World Championship Boxing” season finale, and the broadcast marked Larry Merchant’s last after 35 years as a ringside boxing commentator for the network.

An undercard fight between WBA super-bantamweight champion Guillermo Rigondeaux of Cuba and Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym of Thailand was scratched after Poonsawat failed blood tests this week.

Poonsawat was denied a license by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. The reason for the failed blood tests wasn’t disclosed.

Donaire’s victory came at a perfect time for the Filipinos, who are still coming to grips with the devastating sixth-round knockout loss of boxing icon Manny Pacquiao at the hands of Juan Manuel Marquez of Mexico last week.  /AP with reports from Rene Bonsubre