Donaire: How ready is ready?

It was hard to miss Nonito Donaire Jr.’s  cry for a world title shot—the sooner, the better—following last Saturday’s overwhelming second round stoppage of a faceless Frenchman in Macau.

Donaire may have indeed sounded both hungry and ready for the big one.

He was described as both devastating and superb.

“Ang galing talaga ni Donaire (Donaire is truly great),” swooned a balding middle-aged jeepney driver midday last Sunday.

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“Why did you say that, did you see the replay?” the poor Donaire fan was asked.

He cooly claimed he only read about it in a tabloid.

For the record, it was Donaire’s second trouble-free stoppage since being crushed by Jamaican strongman Nicolas Walters last year.

In his first comeback bout at the Araneta Coliseum last March, he stopped a Brazilian backpacker by the name of William Prado, who failed to throw a single punch. The bout was stopped in the second round with Prado crumpled on the ropes.

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On Saturday, there was a slight improvement as Donaire’s foe managed to throw a total of five punches—three in the first round, two in the second—all of them wide misses.

Well, Donaire cannot be blamed if his two comeback foes did not prove up to par.

Anthony Settoul, who was stopped with a routine shot to the head midway in the second round, appeared more like a sleepless French chef giddily wrestling with jet lag when introduced at mid ring.

It was obvious he didn’t know what he was doing in the well-lit arena.

He was so lost and unsteady he must’ve suffered from nervous fits when grazed by a tentative shot around the belly that led to an initial slow fall.

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Settoul had been peddled as a French champion, but his lifeless, gutless showing spoke volumes on how they go about pro boxing in France.

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Donaire, the 2012 Boxer of the Year, was hailed in newspaper reports and photos as though he has instantly returned to boxing’s elite circle.

That was all to be expected because Donaire, despite that harrowing stoppage suffered against Walters last year, is still considered a national treasure by many hometown fans.

Majority of those who read the report, but failed to watch the Sunday replay, were one in agreeing Donaire was indeed ready for a world title shot.

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A word of caution, lest everybody gets carried away: Scott Quigg, the British warrior and WBA super bantamweight title-holder being touted as Donaire’s next foe, is unbeaten in 33 fights, with 23 knockouts. He’s a couple of inches taller than Nonito.

In short, he has no resemblance whatsoever to the Brazilian backpacker and the French chef Donaire had feasted on one after the other in less than four months.

Toughness and superb form, more than hunger, will be the main factors if the Filipino Flash is to pass his next gigantic test.