Don't Saddle Donaire With Being The Next Pacquiao

Written by Frank Lotierzo

Sunday, 27 February 2011 20:56

Don't Saddle Donaire With Being The Next Pacquiao

Boxing is dead! Boxing is dead! Yep, that's what boxing fans have been hearing for the better part of the last couple years. And in fairness, these aren't the best of times for amateur and professional boxing. Yet, if Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather actually negotiated like adults and agreed to terms for a legitimate welterweight title bout, outside of this month's Super Bowl between the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers, it would be the most widely covered and watched sporting event of the year. In addition to that, a professional boxer (Manny Pacquiao) is still one of the five biggest stars in sports. The only problem is there's just not enough world class fighters who capture the public's imagination like Pacquiao, and Floyd Mayweather to a lesser degree.

Well, there just may be another fighter who's on his way to becoming must see. His name is Nonito Donaire 26-1 (18). Last weekend he scored a sensational second round knockout over a legitimate upper-tier world class bantamweight champion in Fernando Montiel 44-3-2 (34). Donaire's destruction of Montiel was purposeful, methodical and explosive. When Donaire's counter left-hook exploded on Montiel's temple, it was a forgone conclusion that the fight was over. To Montiel's credit, he summoned great reserve and courage when he managed to beat the count before he was met by Donaire's finishing left-hook and right hand forcing referee Russell Mora to stop the fight.

Immediately after the fight, former multi-division champ Roy Jones, who was working as a color analyst on HBO for the fight said, "Donaire, has to be considered one of the top three pound-for-pound fighters in boxing if you still consider Floyd Mayweather an active fighter." And last week Ring Magazine released their list of the top-10 pound-for-pound fighters in boxing, and Nonito Donaire is slotted at number three after Pacquiao and Mayweather.

Since Donaire's signature left-hook relieved Montiel of his two bantamweight titles, he's become the next must see fighter in boxing, and for good reason, he can fight. Donaire's showing and overnight stardom is another undeniable layer of proof that boxing, at its best, is still the most exciting and thrilling sport of all to watch. With all the things that are currently an anchor around boxing and trying to keep it down, an explosive fighter who can consistently deliver exciting fights against the best boxing has to offer, can't be held down. And based on his overall body of work, Nonito Donaire appears to be the real deal.

There's only one foreseeable problem on the horizon for Donaire that might hurt him down the road. And it's something that he has no control over but will no doubt be a victim of, and that's the inevitable comparisons to Manny Pacquiao that he'll be saddled with based on the fact that he's an excellent Philippine fighter. We've seen this in the past and it's never fair to the fighter or athlete who's on the way up and making a name for himself. As great as former heavyweight champ Larry Holmes was, he never lived up to being the next Muhammad Ali. Roy Jones wasn't the next Sugar Ray Robinson and Floyd Mayweather, aside from being undefeated, wasn't the next Roy Jones when it came to his skill set and accomplishments.

So it would be best for Nonito Donaire and the sport of professional boxing if the bar being set for him is not him having to be the next Manny Pacquiao. Not only is it not realistic, but it's not fair. First, it puts pressure on him to be something he's not. Second, it doesn't take into account how fundamentally different Donaire is from Pacquiao stylistically.

Right now WBC/WBO bantamweight champ Nonito Donaire is must see. He's lucky to be fighting in a division that's loaded with some great match ups for him to the north and south of it. Mark my words, he's not going to win every one of his future bouts in the same fashion he did against Fernando Montiel. However, from what we've seen he'll be doing his best to do so. He's got dynamite in his left hand and is a great counter-puncher who can fight outside, which makes him very dangerous as we just saw.

It's great that two of the top three or four fighters in boxing are Philippine. But aside from both of them bursting onto the scene with sensational second round knockouts (Pacquiao KO 2 Hatton) that's really all they share. Donaire is not the next Pacquiao, but he is the real deal, so let's enjoy watching him fight as long as he's around and fighting at the highest level.

Frank Lotierzo can be contacted at GlovedFist@Gmail.com

Comment on this article

Radam G says:

It is inevitable to compare. This is the nature of humans. Look at the chaos that is going on in the world. People are comparing Libya's apparent demise with Egypt's. People are comparing Wisconsin's protesting and sit-ins with the New Egypt ones. Everybodee and dey mommas are comparing Prez Obama with a lot of the past U.S. Prezs. Fanfaronades, busters, haters, fakers, faders and even know-their syets having been comparing Da Manny with Sugar Ray Leonard, Tommy Hearns, Hank Armstrong, etc., etc. And a lot of these busters say that Da Manny is on some mythical jive, labeled as "A-side Meth," by Uncle Roger. He will soon claim that the Filipino Flash is on "States side steroids." Hehehehehehe! The world can be a BIG bytch, then you die, lmfao!

For the record, "The Filipino Flash," as Da Manny is, is a natural left hander. So comparing their left-handed kayoing and knocking down opposition will be. TFF will eventually move up in weight, as Da Manny did, so everybodee and dey mommas will claim that TTF is trying to be a PacMan. But it is all good. Just as B-Hop spit bull about the "slick African American style of fighting," the boxing urban grapevine is claiming that TFF has that so-called style. And that is a bunch of supercrap. Nonito Donairey Jr is Mindanao granodiorite craved into a smooth, speedy, wrecking-machine diamond by his Pops Nonito Donairey Sr. Kabayan Ko is more Pinoy original than Da Manny. Da Manny is largely No Joke P4P Top Notch Trainer Coach Freddie "Always Ready" Roach made. TFF is just being fine tuned by fast, rising supertrainer Robert Garcia. Sorry Masterscribe weaver F-Lo, but comparing will be made. So let me start it off, BABBEEEEE! Da Manny is/was a typhoon rolling out of the Pacfic Rin. Nasty Boy Nonito is a volcano that have erupted and has shot hot rocks upside da noggin of opposition opposing him in America Casinos, mainly on the Strip of Vegas. Hehehehehehehehe! Yall know what TYME it is! Holla!

FighterforJC says:

Pacquiao got his fame by being a giant killer, figuratively and literally. Two of his biggest wins came when he was the underdog (vs Barrera 1 and vs DLH), and the manner in which disposed of Hatton, Cotto and Margarito were upsets in their own right despite being the favorite to win. Pacquiao simply went above and beyond the public's expectations. Donaire, on the other hand has always been perceived as the superior technician against most if not all of his opponents, while Pacquiao for the large part of his career has been viewed as a fighter who makes up for his technical shortcomings wiith heart and determination. Donaire can make a his own legacy by continuing to dominate his foes on an intellectual level and cleaning out his division over many years rather than moving up in weight every other fight.

brownsugar says:

Donaire is already a better boxer than Pac... and unlike Pac he has prime fresh barely beaten competition all around his weight class... in fact we are going to adopt Donaire as the newest "Slick Black African American Boxer" as times are hard and the supply is running low... WHATS THAT!!!!!,.. I hear the Puerto Ricans and Irish want to adopt him too...and the Mexicans are ALSO putting in their bid.......... Well whatever you label him,.. Donaire is slick sweet and hard to beat... can't wait to see more.

nashingun says:

its not a bad thing to compare when you see great potentials. pacquiao is soon to retire after 5 more fights and boxing needs someone like donaire to steer same fire like pacquiao's to bring this sports interesting in the eyes of the public. we cant ignore donaire can punch, has speed and is half inch taller than pacquiao which is a good thing. if donaire can show he can beat bigger guys he will surely match pacquiao's achievements and throw boxing to good view from us boxing fans.

id say let the good things roll and if donaire can deliver it let him be!

Radam G says:

@B-Sug, everybody and dey momma, brotha, sista, kat and dawg are welcome to adopting "The Filipino Flash." In the blood of a Pinoy, especially from Mindanao and the Visayas, every so-called race in the world have visited us and tried to conquer us. We ended kicking dat arse. Maybe it was because of A-side Meth. Hehehehehehe! Then we made luv to 'em. Somebodeee oughta study up da Filipino makeup -- not made up. I could break down what every alphabet in Filipino stands for. But I don't wanna conduct sociology and history classes up in this fine pugilistic sweet science U. Danggit! Editor Mike is not paying me enough moola for that jive. I musta fo'got! He ain't paying me JACK for any jive! But I'm gonna keep gettin' on my knowledge sting from da Pinoy BEE HIVE, BABBBEEEE! Holla!

Radam G says:

Wow! I wonder why Family Donairey has not put the video of JunJun conducting the beatdown on James [now known as the "Mandingo Warrior"> Kirkland at the 1999 U.S. National Junior Olympics on Youtube? It must be that darn copyright violation crap. A whole lot of times, I will put something on YouTube, and its power that be will knock my jive down ASAP. Holla!

kapi says:

Nothing to compare between the two , maybe a strange form of fluke in statistics or just a great boxing culture which brought two guys from the same unknown city into the centre of world’s boxing finest , Nonito is a fantastic boxer , he does not remind of pacman in the way he fights , he moves carefully , observing and sharp shooting his opponents to pin point accuracy – Manny is a fighter who throws fast and strong and spice it all with an excellent showmanship , on the level of “fight” Manny forever will be the bigger attraction , he is mesmerising his ring partners and squeezing every drop out of it , Nonito is more of “boxers” – boxer , but he is also a cool guy with good style and charisma out of the ring and he do deliver knockouts with abandon so he got what it takes – personally I prefer his style on Pacman’s but I doubt it if he can achieve that “beyond boxing”
Status as Manny did – very much the first to do it since Ali and it does not happen that often , Manny is actually nicer than the great heavyweight champ and hopefully he’ll never call Nonito “uncle Tom” or something equivalent- yes , I had to say it - god bless Joe Frazier .

brownsugar says:

great comments kapi

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