Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
Watch it: Nonito Donaire’s vicious one-punch knockout of Reymart Gaballo on Saturday.
Nonito Donaire has built a reputation as a knockout artist. His stoppage on Saturday could land in a museum.
“The Filipino Flash” ended his bantamweight title defense against fellow Filipino Reymart Gaballo with a single left hook to the body in the fourth round at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.
Have a look:
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Watch it: Nonito Donaire’s vicious one-punch knockout of Reymart Gaballo on Saturday.
Nonito Donaire has built a reputation as a knockout artist. His stoppage on Saturday could land in a museum.
“The Filipino Flash” ended his bantamweight title defense against fellow Filipino Reymart Gaballo with a single left hook to the body in the fourth round at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.
Have a look:
[vertical-gallery id=26889]
Nonito Donaire acknowledged after the fact that he had problems figuring out challenger Reymart Gaballo on Saturday night in Carson, California. Of course, it was nothing one big punch couldn’t solve. Donaire, the 39-year-old WBC bantamweight …
Nonito Donaire acknowledged after the fact that he had problems figuring out challenger Reymart Gaballo on Saturday night in Carson, California.
Of course, it was nothing one big punch couldn’t solve.
Donaire, the 39-year-old WBC bantamweight titleholder, stopped a capable fighter 14 years his junior with a viciously perfect left hook to the body with one second remaining in the fourth round of his first title defense.
The victory brought him a step closer to realizing his late-career goal: To become undisputed 118-pound champion.
Donaire (42-6, 28 KOs) did indeed have some trouble with Gaballo (24-1, 20 KOs) before the stoppage.
The champion’s fellow Filipino boxed carefully and well, which made it difficult for Donaire to land meaningful punches. And Gaballo, perhaps quicker than Donaire, landed enough of his own shots to make the fight competitive.
However, Donaire began to assert himself in Round 3, when he landed several hard right hands. And he picked up where he left off in the following round, in which he caught Gaballo with more rights.
Then, with about 15 seconds to go in Round 4, Gaballo threw a right and Donaire responded with a monster shot to his opponent’s right side and he dropped to one knee. Gaballo stood up at the count of eight but, still in pain, he grimaced, went back down and was counted out.
The official time was 2:59 of Round 4.
“My wife [and fitness trainer] and dad were saying, ‘Go to the body, go to the body,’” Donaire said. “I had to set it up by bouncing up and down and left to right until I opened up the body. Then I landed the left hook. …
“A lot of it was rights throughout the earlier rounds and then the left hook to the body [landed] because he didn’t expect that from me.”
Did Donaire think the fight was over at that moment?
“I thought he would get up because I know he has a big heart,” he said. “But that was a very tremendous punch that landed on him.”
Donaire now has his sights set on his bigger goal, to win all four major bantamweight belts.
His fellow titleholders are John Riel Casimero of the Philippines (WBO) and pound-for-pounder Naoya Inoue (IBF and WBC), who outpointed Donaire in a hard-fought, competitive defense that preceded Donaire’s knockout of Nordine Oubaali to win the title in May.
Donaire would love to get another shot at Inoue, assuming the Japanese star beats Aran Dipaen this coming Tuesday in Tokyo.
“That’s Richard Schaefer’s, my promoter’s, job to do,” he said. “Me and Inoue have been respectful to each other. … I believe Richard is going to make it happen, no doubt.”
***
On the undercard, junior welterweight contender Brandun Lee (24-0, 22 KOs) of La Quinta, California, stopped Juan Heraldez (16-2-1, 10 KOs) of Las Vegas in the seventh round of a scheduled 10-rounder.
And Cody Crowley (20-0, 9 KOs) of Peterborough, Ontario, Canada survived a knockdown to upset longtime welterweight contender Kudratillo Abdukakhorov (18-1, 10 KOs) of Uzbekistan by a unanimous decision in a 10-round fight.
The scores were 98-91, 97-92 and 95-94.
Nonito Donaire acknowledged after the fact that he had problems figuring out challenger Reymart Gaballo on Saturday night in Carson, California. Of course, it was nothing one big punch couldn’t solve. Donaire, the 39-year-old WBC bantamweight …
Nonito Donaire acknowledged after the fact that he had problems figuring out challenger Reymart Gaballo on Saturday night in Carson, California.
Of course, it was nothing one big punch couldn’t solve.
Donaire, the 39-year-old WBC bantamweight titleholder, stopped a capable fighter 14 years his junior with a viciously perfect left hook to the body with one second remaining in the fourth round of his first title defense.
The victory brought him a step closer to realizing his late-career goal: To become undisputed 118-pound champion.
Donaire (42-6, 28 KOs) did indeed have some trouble with Gaballo (24-1, 20 KOs) before the stoppage.
The champion’s fellow Filipino boxed carefully and well, which made it difficult for Donaire to land meaningful punches. And Gaballo, perhaps quicker than Donaire, landed enough of his own shots to make the fight competitive.
However, Donaire began to assert himself in Round 3, when he landed several hard right hands. And he picked up where he left off in the following round, in which he caught Gaballo with more rights.
Then, with about 15 seconds to go in Round 4, Gaballo threw a right and Donaire responded with a monster shot to his opponent’s right side and he dropped to one knee. Gaballo stood up at the count of eight but, still in pain, he grimaced, went back down and was counted out.
The official time was 2:59 of Round 4.
“My wife [and fitness trainer] and dad were saying, ‘Go to the body, go to the body,’” Donaire said. “I had to set it up by bouncing up and down and left to right until I opened up the body. Then I landed the left hook. …
“A lot of it was rights throughout the earlier rounds and then the left hook to the body [landed] because he didn’t expect that from me.”
Did Donaire think the fight was over at that moment?
“I thought he would get up because I know he has a big heart,” he said. “But that was a very tremendous punch that landed on him.”
Donaire now has his sights set on his bigger goal, to win all four major bantamweight belts.
His fellow titleholders are John Riel Casimero of the Philippines (WBO) and pound-for-pounder Naoya Inoue (IBF and WBC), who outpointed Donaire in a hard-fought, competitive defense that preceded Donaire’s knockout of Nordine Oubaali to win the title in May.
Donaire would love to get another shot at Inoue, assuming the Japanese star beats Aran Dipaen this coming Tuesday in Tokyo.
“That’s Richard Schaefer’s, my promoter’s, job to do,” he said. “Me and Inoue have been respectful to each other. … I believe Richard is going to make it happen, no doubt.”
***
On the undercard, junior welterweight contender Brandun Lee (24-0, 22 KOs) of La Quinta, California, stopped Juan Heraldez (16-2-1, 10 KOs) of Las Vegas in the seventh round of a scheduled 10-rounder.
And Cody Crowley (20-0, 9 KOs) of Peterborough, Ontario, Canada survived a knockdown to upset longtime welterweight contender Kudratillo Abdukakhorov (18-1, 10 KOs) of Uzbekistan by a unanimous decision in a 10-round fight.
The scores were 98-91, 97-92 and 95-94.
Nonito Donaire: His remarkable renaissance rolls on at 39 years old.
Nonito Donaire is playing with house money.
The 39-year-old wonder has been an elite fighter for around 15 years, he has won titles in four divisions, he made one of the most inspiring comebacks in recent history and he’s a future Hall of Famer. Any glory he claims going forward is almost an embarrassment of riches.
That doesn’t mean much to the bantamweight titleholder, though. He’s still determined to get the most out of the ability he has left, which might not bode well for challenger Reymart Gaballo on Saturday in Carson, California.
“I’m here enjoying this moment and every moment I have left in my career,” Donaire said. “In the gym, I feel like I can do this for another 10 years. I just take it one fight at a time and I’m grateful for every moment of it.”
Donaire (41-6, 27 KOs) was at his best more than a decade ago, starting with his sensational one-punch, fifth-round knockout of previously unbeaten Vic Darchinyan to win a flyweight belt in 2007.
The athletic, big-punching Filipino-American demolished everyone placed his path the next several years and was named 2012 Fighter of the Year after beating Wilfredo Vazquez Jr., Jeffrey Mathebula, Toshiaki Nishioka and Jorge Arce.
He seemed unbeatable … until his opponents suddenly began to prove otherwise.
He went only 7-4 in the 11 fights after the victory over Arce, with decisive losses to Guillermo Rigondeaux, Nicholas Walters, Jessie Magdaleno and Carl Frampton. It seemed after the Frampton fight that Donaire’s days as an elite fighter were over.
Then, in 2018, he made an important decision. The losses against Walters (TKO 6) and Frampton (UD) took place at 126 pounds, at which he seemed to give up his size and power advantages. So he moved down not one, but two divisions to 118, a weight at which he hadn’t fought since 2011.
Somehow he was able to make the weight. And that turned back the clock. He stopped Ryan Burnett and Stephon Young to set up a title shot against the feared Naoya Inoue in November 2019.
[lawrence-related id=26641,26639]
Donaire came up short on the cards in that fight – losing a unanimous decision – but the fact he pushed Inoue harder than anyone before him demonstrated that he was again at the top of his game at an age when most fighters are in retirement.
And if there was any doubt, he dispelled it by blowing out overmatched Nordine Oubaali in four rounds to win the WBC bantamweight title this past May at 38.
He doesn’t plan to stop there. A rematch with Inoue or a fight with countryman and titleholder John Riel Casimero could be in his near future.
“For me, after the Naoya Inoue fight, I saw that I still had a purpose in this sport,” he said. “I came in strong against Nordine Oubaali in my last fight because I have that purpose. That purpose is to become undisputed champion of the world.”
Is Gaballo (24-0, 20 KOs) a threat? Probably not.
The Filipino has some ability and punching power, as his knockout percentage indicates. However, many believe he received a gift decision over Emmanuel Rodriguez in his most-recent fight and he hasn’t faced anyone quite like Donaire.
And, of course, to Donaire, Gaballo is just another opponent.
“I’ve faced a lot of top guys with great power like Gaballo has,” he said. “My experience allows me to have no fear of the power. We’re just focused on our strategy and how I can take advantage of his style.
“We’re 100% ready. We build up our mental fortitude so we can always push forward and be ready. We’re only as strong as our mind can be. My mental strength is to the moon.”
Nonito Donaire: His remarkable renaissance rolls on at 39 years old.
Nonito Donaire is playing with house money.
The 39-year-old wonder has been an elite fighter for around 15 years, he has won titles in four divisions, he made one of the most inspiring comebacks in recent history and he’s a future Hall of Famer. Any glory he claims going forward is almost an embarrassment of riches.
That doesn’t mean much to the bantamweight titleholder, though. He’s still determined to get the most out of the ability he has left, which might not bode well for challenger Reymart Gaballo on Saturday in Carson, California.
“I’m here enjoying this moment and every moment I have left in my career,” Donaire said. “In the gym, I feel like I can do this for another 10 years. I just take it one fight at a time and I’m grateful for every moment of it.”
Donaire (41-6, 27 KOs) was at his best more than a decade ago, starting with his sensational one-punch, fifth-round knockout of previously unbeaten Vic Darchinyan to win a flyweight belt in 2007.
The athletic, big-punching Filipino-American demolished everyone placed his path the next several years and was named 2012 Fighter of the Year after beating Wilfredo Vazquez Jr., Jeffrey Mathebula, Toshiaki Nishioka and Jorge Arce.
He seemed unbeatable … until his opponents suddenly began to prove otherwise.
He went only 7-4 in the 11 fights after the victory over Arce, with decisive losses to Guillermo Rigondeaux, Nicholas Walters, Jessie Magdaleno and Carl Frampton. It seemed after the Frampton fight that Donaire’s days as an elite fighter were over.
Then, in 2018, he made an important decision. The losses against Walters (TKO 6) and Frampton (UD) took place at 126 pounds, at which he seemed to give up his size and power advantages. So he moved down not one, but two divisions to 118, a weight at which he hadn’t fought since 2011.
Somehow he was able to make the weight. And that turned back the clock. He stopped Ryan Burnett and Stephon Young to set up a title shot against the feared Naoya Inoue in November 2019.
[lawrence-related id=26641,26639]
Donaire came up short on the cards in that fight – losing a unanimous decision – but the fact he pushed Inoue harder than anyone before him demonstrated that he was again at the top of his game at an age when most fighters are in retirement.
And if there was any doubt, he dispelled it by blowing out overmatched Nordine Oubaali in four rounds to win the WBC bantamweight title this past May at 38.
He doesn’t plan to stop there. A rematch with Inoue or a fight with countryman and titleholder John Riel Casimero could be in his near future.
“For me, after the Naoya Inoue fight, I saw that I still had a purpose in this sport,” he said. “I came in strong against Nordine Oubaali in my last fight because I have that purpose. That purpose is to become undisputed champion of the world.”
Is Gaballo (24-0, 20 KOs) a threat? Probably not.
The Filipino has some ability and punching power, as his knockout percentage indicates. However, many believe he received a gift decision over Emmanuel Rodriguez in his most-recent fight and he hasn’t faced anyone quite like Donaire.
And, of course, to Donaire, Gaballo is just another opponent.
“I’ve faced a lot of top guys with great power like Gaballo has,” he said. “My experience allows me to have no fear of the power. We’re just focused on our strategy and how I can take advantage of his style.
“We’re 100% ready. We build up our mental fortitude so we can always push forward and be ready. We’re only as strong as our mind can be. My mental strength is to the moon.”
Nonito Donaire showed endearing class by translating for his opponent during a news conference on Thursday.
The word “great” has been used to describe Nonito Donaire for some time. Another apt term is “classy.”
The 39-year-old bantamweight titleholder demonstrated that once again Thursday at the final news conference to promote his defense against fellow Filipino Reymart Gaballo on Saturday in Carson, California (Showtime).
When Gaballo was struggling with his English, Donaire stepped in to serve as his opponent’s translator before a neutral translator later took over.
Gaballo was asked how concerned he was about Donaire’s vaunted left hook. He tried to answer the question in English but defaulted to his native language, Tagalog. That’s when Donaire, who grew up in the U.S., gave him a hand.
“He said, ‘Not just the left hook. He also has other arsenals we have to look out for as well,’” Donaire said.
And when Gaballo was asked what a victory over Donaire would mean to him, he again answered in Tagalog and Donaire translated.
“He said, ‘It would give him great pleasure if it happens because what he has been looking for his entire life is to be announced as a world champion,’” Donaire said.
Those who have followed Donaire’s career would’ve been amused, but not surprised by his double duty at the news conference. He’s that kind of person.
And he has a particularly soft spot for Gaballo because he’s Filipino. It’s not often that a world champion from the Philippines defends his title against a countryman. That means a lot to Donaire.
“I’m proud that there is another Filipino fighting at this level,” he said. “I’m happy to be sharing the ring with Reymart. I know he’s very hungry and that he has a big dream, just like everyone in the Philippines. I know that he’s going to be at his best, so I made sure that I’m prepared and at my best as well.”
And Donaire said the kindness he demonstrated during the interviews is consistent with his standards of behavior.
“This is a gentleman’s sport,” he said. “It gives credibility to a fighter if he can speak with sportsmanship. It’s not about talking down to other people. I believe the greater man can look into his opponent’s eyes, shake hands with him and then go for the kill when they’re in the ring.
“I love the sport of boxing. It’s given me everything that I have and I’m going to represent the sport with honor and integrity.”
Of course, as he said, Donaire’s good nature only goes so far. He’s on a mission to become the undisputed 118-pound champion. And he doesn’t plan to allow Gaballo to get in his way.
“Reymart is a really good fighter, but I’m very confident,” he said. “I have bigger fish to go after following this fight. We’re both going to do our best but victory is the only thing I’m here for.”
[lawrence-related id=26639]
Nonito Donaire showed endearing class by translating for his opponent during a news conference on Thursday.
The word “great” has been used to describe Nonito Donaire for some time. Another apt term is “classy.”
The 39-year-old bantamweight titleholder demonstrated that once again Thursday at the final news conference to promote his defense against fellow Filipino Reymart Gaballo on Saturday in Carson, California (Showtime).
When Gaballo was struggling with his English, Donaire stepped in to serve as his opponent’s translator before a neutral translator later took over.
Gaballo was asked how concerned he was about Donaire’s vaunted left hook. He tried to answer the question in English but defaulted to his native language, Tagalog. That’s when Donaire, who grew up in the U.S., gave him a hand.
“He said, ‘Not just the left hook. He also has other arsenals we have to look out for as well,’” Donaire said.
And when Gaballo was asked what a victory over Donaire would mean to him, he again answered in Tagalog and Donaire translated.
“He said, ‘It would give him great pleasure if it happens because what he has been looking for his entire life is to be announced as a world champion,’” Donaire said.
Those who have followed Donaire’s career would’ve been amused, but not surprised by his double duty at the news conference. He’s that kind of person.
And he has a particularly soft spot for Gaballo because he’s Filipino. It’s not often that a world champion from the Philippines defends his title against a countryman. That means a lot to Donaire.
“I’m proud that there is another Filipino fighting at this level,” he said. “I’m happy to be sharing the ring with Reymart. I know he’s very hungry and that he has a big dream, just like everyone in the Philippines. I know that he’s going to be at his best, so I made sure that I’m prepared and at my best as well.”
And Donaire said the kindness he demonstrated during the interviews is consistent with his standards of behavior.
“This is a gentleman’s sport,” he said. “It gives credibility to a fighter if he can speak with sportsmanship. It’s not about talking down to other people. I believe the greater man can look into his opponent’s eyes, shake hands with him and then go for the kill when they’re in the ring.
“I love the sport of boxing. It’s given me everything that I have and I’m going to represent the sport with honor and integrity.”
Of course, as he said, Donaire’s good nature only goes so far. He’s on a mission to become the undisputed 118-pound champion. And he doesn’t plan to allow Gaballo to get in his way.
“Reymart is a really good fighter, but I’m very confident,” he said. “I have bigger fish to go after following this fight. We’re both going to do our best but victory is the only thing I’m here for.”
[lawrence-related id=26639]
Nonito Donaire vs. Reymart Gaballo: date, time, how to watch, background.
Nonito Donaire (41-6, 27 KOs) vs. Reymart Gaballo (24-0, 20 KOs)
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