Is Nonito Donaire the next Manny Pacquiao?
Just as any tricky Argentinean midfielder is “the next Diego Maradona”, any small, skilful Filipino boxer is “the next Manny Pacquiao”.
“Pacman” offers a gigantic pair of shoes to fill and, just like the World Cup winning maestro, comparisons with him can often build pressure to insurmountable levels for those being measured for his mantle.
However in the Philippines-born, American-raised Nonito Donaire, there may well be hope. “The Filipino Flash” is a well-rounded fighter with decent hand speed and good shot selection. He’s defensively solid, his foot work is slick and a he packs a fierce left hook.
On the weekend Donaire cemented his position as the finest in the super featherweight division with an eighth-round stoppage of Hernan Marquez.
Donaire was perhaps sending out a message when he lined up for the bout as a southpaw, replicating the stance of Pacquiao. He didn’t look a hundred per cent comfortable as a lefty, but not distressed either and it certainly perplexed Marquez, who didn’t know what direction the shots were going to land from.
It was height and reach that was really paying off for Donaire, he kept his opponent at arm’s length, switched it up to orthodox from the fifth round and really started laying home the jab. With seconds left of the eighth round, Donaire unleashed a peach of an uppercut that sent Marquez sprawling on the canvas, leaving the Mexican looking simultaneously puffed up and deflated as the referee called a halt.
Although they can draw comparisons, Pacquiao and Donaire are certainly not identical fighters. Pacman’s phenomenal hand speed and frequency of shots can’t be replicated, but The Filipino Flash still has hooks and uppercuts in his locker ready to explode out. He is a bit more cautious and takes his time to pick the right shots. Also for a featherweight he is quite big and frequently towers over his opponents, giving him height and reach advantage where Pacquiao is often smaller than his opposition thus adopts a different more offensive strategy.
The highlight of Donaire’s career so far is undoubtedly his fifth-round knockout over Vic Darchinyan which really made people sit up and take notice of him and won The Ring magazine’s 2007 KO of the year award.
Criticism levelled at Donaire are generally that he doesn’t fight good enough contenders, but really that is down to the lack of a decent pool of talent in the featherweights rather than Donaire's fault. He gets over-shadowed slightly by other fighters from the Philippines, obviously the phenomenon that is Pacquiao, but also Bernabe Conception who was crushed by Juan Manuel Lopez on the same card as the Donaire-Marquez fight on Saturday.
Cleary sick of a lack of challenge, Donaire announced his decision to step up to the bantams as he searches for tougher opposition and he is kicking off with top-dog Fernando Montiel. This is a stern a test as he could get, if he were to beat him, maybe have a rematch with Darchinyan, he could seriously lay claim to the pound-for-pound title.
In terms of how high a division he can get to, Pacquiao fought his first pro fight 1lb above minimum weight, he has proceeded to win titles in seven divisions and competes as a welterweight these days, and so Dornaire can look towards him as a template for a multi-division champion.
At 27 years old, with a record of 25-24(16)-1 and his only defeat coming in his second bout, Donaire looks like he is just going to improve and improve. It is not unreasonable to think that one day Donaire may emulate his fellow countryman Pacquiao and become his natural successor.
One thing’s for sure, it doesn’t look like Donaire is going to be a mere flash in the pan.
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