Donaire’s not-so-sweet victory in sweet science

Donaire’s not-so-sweet

victory in sweet science

“Satisfaction lies in the effort, not in the attainment, full effort is full victory.”

Mahatma Gandhi

By Alex P. Vidal

Boxing is Sweet Science. If the victory of a ring superstar isn’t sweet, it’s no big deal as long as an explosive fisticuffs governed by the Marquees of Queensberry rules happened.

Nonita “Flash” Donaire Jr.’s (33-2, 21 KOs) 4th round technical decision win over WBA featherweight “super” champion Simpiwe “V12″ Vetyeka (26-3, 15 KOs) on Saturday at the Cotai Arena, Venetian Resort, Macao, China was far from sweet, but it gave him his fourth world title in different divisions.

Donaire had won world titles at flyweight (112 lbs), bantamweight (118 lbs) and super-bantamweight (122 lbs) in the previous years.

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The fight could have ended in a knockout in the later rounds for the Fil-Am challenger had it not been for the two successive accidental headbutts in rounds one and two, which opened a nasty cut over Donaire’s left eye.

The wound interrupted Donaire’s savagery for a few moments thus allowing Vetyeka to throw caution in the wind.

Donaire tried to finish off the African champion after scoring a knockdown with a left hook in the fourth, the round where slick-moving Vetyeka tried to launch a desperate kamikaze attack.

Earlier in round three, Donaire put pressures on the champion with dizzying hooks and crisp jabs which landed with explosive accuracy. 

TERMINATE

Puerto Rican referee Luis Pabon had to terminate the bout on advice of ring physician after four rounds thus Donaire wasn’t able to floor Vetyeka anew for good.

If the bout was halted before the fourth, Vetyeka would have retained his title via technical draw. Team Vetyeka wouldn’t mind losing round three for another headbutt provided that the fight was stopped before fourth so he could retain his crown.

Vetyeka fought like the styles of most African fighters, charging in and out and throwing sharp jabs and straights and waiting for Donaire to lower his left. The champion dug deep into Donaire’s body in the second round but couldn’t penetrate the breadbasket.

Sensing a blood in his opponent’s wound, the African targeted the cut with conjectural straights hoping to land a clean shot that would decimate Donaire’s defense and force the referee to stop the fight on TKO.

PRESSED

Donaire, however, pressed for a kill and rocked the champion with solid punches in the body.

Both fighters had heated exchanges in the third and fourth.

Despite being pummeled by a left hook that sent him to the canvas for a mandatory eight count, sturdy-chinned Vetyeka refused to slow down; no sign of intimidation in his eyes while throwing his own haymakers and combinations with confidence while clinging to life.

A rematch is most likely to happen now that Vetyeka yielded the WBA jewels in a not-so-convincing fashion.