Let Donaire be Donaire

To some, Nonito Donaire Jr.’s win against South African Simpiwe Vetyeka in Macau was devoid of a conclusive ending.

Donaire tried his earnest best to score a sensational win but, in the effort, he may have left himself open to an aggressive opponent who led with his head in each attack. Donaire floored Vetyeka in the fourth round and rocked him again before the pain from head collisions with the South African was no longer bearable.

Donaire is that kind of boxer whose career is defined by the knockout. His previous sensational wins were via the KO route, with booming shots taking the wind out of opponents who never got to fully comprehend what hit them.

So when he doesn’t win by a knockout or is forced to box instead of bang inside the ring, pundits feel that Donaire was unable to get the job done. This is a rather unfair but understandable statement by fans who have been mesmerized by Donaire’s power.

In his Tuesday column, Recah Trinidad correctly stated that it was a gallant effort by Donaire to fight on despite the painful handicap. No matter how brave, boxers find it extremely hard to do what they want to do when there’s a nasty wound on their eyelids or the side of their eyes. The cutmen in the corner can only do so much to stop the blood from oozing so that the liquid doesn’t spill over to the eyes.

Boxers of this size and weight are always prone to headbutts. Even in the regular weekend cards in the provinces and the Metro, a clash of foreheads by featherweights is not surprising. Fighters try their hardest to avoid the collisions but in boxing how can you score points if you don’t attack? Clinches are inevitable and trying to box out of a predicament is part of the sport.

We should let Donaire be Donaire.

He will have his share of spectacular wins, losses and even inconclusive endings. We love the knockouts, relishing them in replays and endless highlight reels. But Donaire is quite simply just a great boxer who is also quite human. He does not have to apologize for his perceived shortcomings in the ring, as he is already an achiever by being a stellar Filipino performer on international stages.

Comments and critiques of performances are part of the game as sports efforts are done in the public domain. Both Donaire and Vetyeka did what they had to do in the ring and they are judged based on how they fared.

So it’s quite all right if many felt bitin (short changed or left hanging) after the fight.

It was off to a great start because the South African looked like a willing banger. When the two fighters talked to each other after Donaire could no longer continue, you could sense that two were also bitin. Fighters love it as well when each one is ready to mix it up.

Bring it on, guys. Boxing always loves a rematch and even trilogies.