By REY DANSECO
MORE than a decade ago, then skinny and little-known Nonito “Filipino Flash” Donaire Jr fractured the little finger in his left hand from punching bag at Ten Goosen Boxing Gym in Van Nuys, California.
This injury was able to heal, but re-injured when the soldier turned boxing trainer Nonito “Dodong” Donaire Sr brought back his young boxers, Nonito and Glenn Donaire to the Philippines in 2001 to fight.
The gusty and quick-punching Donaire Jr’s little finger was shown to a doctor in Paranaque Medical Center, south of Manila, after he broked it again during an ill-advised sparring against a bigger young upstart at the Elorde Gym of Gabriel “Bebot” Elorde at St. Rita Village in Sucat, Paranaque City.
“His little finger actually broke and dislocated,” Donaire Sr. said in Tagalog. “Doctor put splint in it, but he (my son) untimely removed it, so it crouches a bit.
“But the good thing, according to the doctor, his finger had turned out much stronger because of callus. It’s totally healed,” added Senior, who nurtured his son’s career but since early 2009 up to present was estranged from him.
The son broke his ties with his father and isolated himself from his own family after the newly wed Donaire Jr’s flyweight title defense against South Africa’s Moruti Mthalane with TKO in round 6 at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas due to misunderstandings with his charming wife Rachel.
Last Saturday, February 4, the grown up, popular and fourth pound-for-pound
This is former WBC bantamweight champion Nonito "Filipino Flash" Donaire's blooded and injured left knuckle after soundly beating Puerto Rican Wilfredo Vazquez Jr in a one-sided bout Saturday, February 4, 2012 in front of 14,000 fans at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. PHOTO FROM TEAM DONAIRE
fighter in the world Donaire Jr, 29, suffered another injury in his more powerful left hand during his bombardment at the face and head of Puerto Rico’s Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. in San Antonio, Texas.
Donaire Jr (28-1, 18 KOs) hurt his knuckle, particularly in his index and middle fingers between second and fourth rounds. The injury did not stop the pride of the Philippines to dominate his garrulous opponent from Bayamon, just to let him eat his punches and that’s his way of making his fists do the talking.
After Donaire’s controversial majority decision win over 12 rounds was announced, the hard-hitting Filipino warrior showed the bloodied guaze of his left-hand wrap in the televised post-fight interview.
The decision was described as controversial, because of Texan Dr. Ruben Garcia’s unpopular 112-115 verdict in favor of the losing former champion Vazquez Jr.
Other judges, Don Trella and Levi Martinez showed their impartiality and proved that they watched the same one-sided fight when they tallied an identical 117-110 in their scorecards for Donaire. This writer also scored the fight 117-110 for the Filipino prizefighter.
“Junjun’s (Donaire Jr’s nickname) injury in Vazquez fight’s new,” said Senior.
DONAIRE SR. BELIEVES HIS SON CAN EASILY KNOCKOUT ARCE
Although he said that he had not spoken to his son, the Bay Area-based Donaire Sr. has the heart to let the public know about his thoughts should his namesake son faces Mexican star Jorge “Travieso” Arce.
He believed Arce (59-6-2, 45 KOs) has little chance to beat his estranged son.
Jorge Arce (left) and Nonito Donaire, two of only few bankable super bantamweights today, poses with their fists. They will continue the hot Filipino-Mexican rivalry in the boxing ring. PHOTO FROM TEAM DONAIRE
“Arce don’t defend well, that’s his difference compare with Vazquez,” Donaire Sr. figured out.
Without decent defense, Donaire Sr. thinks his son might easily find a way to get on target his one-punch knockout power, like what happened to Vic Darchinyan and another well-known Mexican champion Fernando Montiel.
“Arce is an all-out fighter, he wants to stay in front so if Junjun catched him, he might be knock out too,” Donaire Sr said. “He’s an easy target compare to Vazquez. Remember Arce was losing his fight when Vazquez ran out of stamina in the final round (of their bout last year).”
But Bob Arum had made an announcement.
“That will determine everything,” Arum said of Donaire’s hand, “but depending on the timing, we want him to face Arce next.”
Arce has one more hurdle in front of him before getting the crack at Donaire’s lofty P4P status. The 32-year old Mexican from Los Mochis takes on veteran Lorenzo Parra on Feb. 18 in Mexicali, Baja California.
Donaire is also hoping to challenge formidable champion Toshiaki Nishioka of Japan for the most coveted WBC bantamweight title.
Nishioka: Refused to comment when asked by suljosblog.com if he's interested to face Nonito Donaire Jr. during the 49th WBC Convention in Las Vegas last December. PHOTO BY AZN BADGER
Nishioka is a 35-year-old southpaw with decent record of 39-4-3, 24 KOs. He disposed Mexico’s Rafael Marquez (40-7, 36 KOs) in his last fight, winning via well deserved unanimous decision on Oct. 1 in Las Vegas.
Donaire said he’s eager to take any of them in the ring, whoever is interested. But he revealed, it needed at least two to three more months to heal his broken hand.
Arum has included the newly crowned WBA super bantamweight champion Guillermo Rigondeaux (9-0, 7 KOs) in the mix, but Donaire Jr. is not that much interested.
Rigondeaux keeps on trying to get attention. He continuously called out on Donaire Jr. since the unbeaten 31-year old Cuban southpaw dethroned Rico Ramos with sixth round stoppage win on Jan. 20 at Las Vegas’ Palms Casino Resort.
NOTE: When Nonito Donaire Jr. went back home to the Philippines in 2001, he was known in boxing community as “Flash”, a monicker he got way back from school in San Leandro, California because he’s fast.
With primary intention of associating him with Filipinos and matched it with his older brother Glenn’s monicker, this boxingwriter put “Filipino” to make it “Filipino Flash” in Boxrec.com.
He’d used it ever since then in his boxing news reports, in the Philippine national newspaper as well as previous websites like Boxingtalk.com and Boxingscene.com, after they’ve met and became friends sometimes in 2002 at Elorde Gym in St. Rita Village in Sucat, Paranaque with his father, Nonito Sr, and Glenn, who at that time was known as “Filipino Bomber” with 5-1, 5 KOs record.
EXTERNAL LINKS:
Grandparents unhappy with Donaire’s win Donaire’s family disappointed with ‘Filipino Flash’
Donaire defeats Vazquez via a split decision Donaire wins super bantamweight title vs Vazquez
Donaire earns split decision victory over Vazquez Phl President congratulates champ Donaire
Palace congratulates Donaire on win vs Vazquez
Donaire’s brother returns to boxing, voices out words against Nonito Donaire’s brother wins comeback fight
Donaire ask journalist to leave family alone Donaire nakaaway ilang sportswriter
Donaire ready to repair relations with media End to family feud lets Donaire focus on ‘big feud’
Rift between Donaire and dad far from over
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Rey Danseco is the Boxing Judge of the Year 2010 in the Philippines at the 11th Gabriel ”Flash” Elorde Memorial Boxing Awards-Banquet of Champions in March 2011. Aside from being one of the most active boxing judges from Asia, he is the Sports editor of one of the Philippine leading newspapers called Bagong Tiktik (Spy) and television boxing commentator.
EMAIL: reydanseco@yahoo.com
