THIS fight could be Nonito Donaire’s last chance to revive his career. At age 35, his best years are clearly behind him but “The Filipino Flash” is still good enough to beat the top contenders out there.
Standing in his way today will be Carl Frampton ( 24-1, 14 KOs) an Irish-tough, two-time former world champion also intent on regaining his stature among the elite fighters on this division.
This matchup has the makings of a classic and so here are three possible scenarios.
FIRST. Donaire (38-4, 24 KOs) controls the first round behind a snappy jab. Frampton comes forward aggressively but Donaire keeps him at bay, boxing beautifully.
In the middle rounds, Frampton makes his move and begins to target the body. Donaire seems to be tiring. In the eighth round, both fighters exchange and Donaire lands a big left hook that knocks down Frampton.
The Irishman man is up at eight but wobbly. He spends the next few rounds trying to survive and makes it dirty by clinching and hitting on the break. He recovers in the championship rounds but Donaire pulls ahead on the cards with his sharp counterpunching.
Donaire wins via UD
SECOND. Frampton comes out firing and wins the first half of the fight on sheer, feral aggression. Donaire keeps things honest by landing combinations but the Irishman seems impervious to pain.
In the 10th round, Donaire lands an uppercut that results in a flash knockdown and turns the tide of the fight. In the championship rounds, both fighters put on a an exciting , albeit brutal show and the crowd applauds their approval as both fighters finish the fight on their feet.
Frampton via close decision.
THIRD. The first few rounds are uneventful as both fighters try to feel each other out. But by the fifth, Donaire has sufficiently assessed his opponent’s style and times Frampton coming in with a perfectly placed left hook thrown with sufficient torque to knock his senses out.
The ref doesn’t bother to count. Donaire by KO in the fifth.
LAST ROUND. It’s on my dear mother, Elena Mayol Quijano, who turns 78 today. Cheers mom, our eternal love ans gratitude from me, Ram and Jeehan.