THE hands were quick. A powerful left hand or a right or a combination that he would unleash with rapid accuracy would stun his opponent. Once he got his hands over his foe it was all over.
He is Filipino four-division champion Nonito Donaire Jr., who scored his second straight sensational victory by technical knockout last week against Frenchman Anthony Settoul, in a super-bantamweight fight in Macau.
Donaire, 32, battered Settoul badly in a brief ceremony of truculence and brutality, scoring three knockdowns, two in the first round, before ending the lopsided bout 1:41 minutes in the second round.
After the more popular boxing icon Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao, Donaire is probably our next best-known Filipino fighter in the world, who, at the peak of his professional career in 2012, was named “Fighter of the Year.”
He used his explosiveness and ring craftsmanship in beating bigger foes—Jorge Arce, Toshiaki Nishioka, Vic Darchinyan and Fernando Montiel. Those wins gave him both the International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Organization titles in the 122-pound division.
But he lost when he moved up to the featherweight scale to Cuban Guillermo Rigondeaux in his adopted home New York in 2013. In October last year he again went down in defeat to Jamaican Nicolas Walters in California.
Today, Donaire, christened the “Filipino Flash,” appeared raring to regain his place among the elites in professional boxing. His victory raised his records to 35 wins against three losses that included 23 knockouts.
The pugnacity, speed and determination, and extraordinary hitting powers are back. Everyone began to admire and love the Filipino Flash once more. He is, as fighters go, the perfect fighting machine to again win world acclaim.
The style is aggressive, and Donaire is workmanlike and efficient. Boxing actually is a science, and the Filipino Flash studied it closely from that angle, now avoiding mistakes, now connecting with rapid, strong punches.
Donaire knew that without condition and perfect training he could not carry out the manuevers demanded by the cruel sport. He also knew that he must be patient, and always in tip-top shape to withstand punishment.
He realized that workouts in the gym are what it would take to win titles. “I don’t know how I generated that power but I can see now that if I train myself like everybody else, the strength, power and the patience will all come together.”
The prizefighter felt that he still had the speed of a 25-year-old boxer. “I am still fast out there. I’ve always been the type of a fighter who wants to knock you out…. But now I want to be good. I want to be smart. I want to be patient.”
Yet he made short work of William Prado of Brazil, leaving nothing to chance as he launched his comeback bid on a high note with a two-round demolition before his countrymen at the Araneta Coliseum.
“I do believe I’m still at that level. My power is still there,” he said after the Prado victory in the nontitle super-bantamweight class. “We’ll take it step by step. But this time we found out where I’m [best] at.”
That is in the super-bantamweight division, not the featherweight class. “Absolutely, 122 (lb) is where I belong. It’s where I fight my best. I really like that fight with [Scott] Quigg. Great for me, and great for the fans. I’m totally on board.”
Quigg is the Englishman who recently defended his World Boxing Association super-bantamweight title against Spain’s Kiko Martinez in two rounds in Manchester when Donaire scored that sensational victory in the Chinese gambling paradise.
At the Cotai arena in Macau, the Filipino crowd rose and cheered for Donaire. Will the cheering continue? Promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank believed Donaire is hot commodity.
“I’ve heard Quigg’s name and I’m excited for that possibility,” Donaire said in an interview with Boxing News. “I’m excited for any of the world champions to fight me to regain my title as a Filipino world champion.”
Revenge is in the air. Make way for the Filipino Flash. He is back!