Inquirer Sports performer of the week: Nonito Donaire Jr.
- Photo by Top Rank Boxing/Chris Farina
Armed with a lethal combination of speed and power, Nonito Donaire showed why he’s one of boxing’s best pound-for-pound fighter.
Donaire breezed through against a too-wary Omar Narvaez Sunday night to retain his twin world bantamweight titles at the Madison Square Garden’s The Theatre in New York.
The Filipino Flash, born in General Santos City before migrating to the U.S., was the aggressor from the get-go and relentlessly tried to put on a show.
But the then-unbeaten Narvaez just kept his guard, his hands up, all throughout the match to survive rather than fight head on.
Donaire, thirsty for more action, was overly disappointed with how the highly-anticipated match turned out.
“I’m so sorry. This is Madison Square Garden and you end up with that fight. I was willing to get hit, you saw me open up myself,” Donaire told Philippine Daily Inquirer’s Marc Anthony Reyes in New York.
“The fans didn’t deserve it and I apologized deeply for that and to everybody watching. I mean I wanted a knockout, that was the disappointing part of it,” Donaire added.
The 28-year-old Donaire raised his record to 27-1 with 18 knockouts.
And for his mastery over his Argentine foe, Donaire is the Inquirer Sports’ Performer of the Week from Oct. 22 to Oct. 29.
Donaire bested Barako Bull guard Willie Miller, which carried his squad twice this week for an impressive 3-1 start in the PBA Philippine Cup, for the weekly citation.
Head and shoulders above other fighters in his current weight division, Donaire is expected to move up a notch to the 122-lbs. Class and be more active next year—seeking at least five fights.
Donaire sported black and pink trunks with matching pink socks in support of breast cancer awareness campaign.
