Senate lauds Donaire for win vs Vetyeka

Simpiwe Vetyeka of South Africa and Nonito Donaire (L) of the Philippines fight during their WBA featherweight title boxing fight in Macau on May 31, 2014. Donaire won the fight. AFP FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire Jr. has received commendation from the Senate for winning the WBA Featherweight title against South African Simpiwe “V12” Vetyeka last month.

Donaire and family were present when the commendation was read on the Senate floor Wednesday.

Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, one of the senators who filed a resolution, delivered a sponsorship speech acclaiming the boxing champ.

“Allow me to rise in this august chamber to pay homage once again to a man whose achievements are well-known, especially to a boxing-loving country like ours,” said Angara, chairman of the committee on games, amusement and sports.

Angara noted that despite suffering a cut above his left eye due to a brutal headbutt, Donaire “demonstrated his unwavering determination and heart of a champion when he instructed the referee not to stop the fight in the first round notwithstanding the steady stream of blood right above his left eye.”

Donaire knocked down Vetyeka in the fourth round before the referee finally stopped the fight due to Donaire’s cut. The Filipino Flash won via a unanimous technical decision with the judges’ score of 49-46.

Angara also lauded Donaire for joining Manny Pacquiao as the only Asians to hold world championship titles in at least five weight divisions.

“It is high time that we recognize and honor our champion, a world-class Filipino that we can all be proud of, Nonito Donaire Jr.,” the senator added.

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