Flash ready to be Superman

FOR a boxer whose career has been marred by periods of inactivity, it is refreshing to see Nonito “Filipino Flash” Donaire, Jr. all set to wage war again just three months after his last ring appearance.

Hounded by weight issues and ring rust in the bantamweight (118 pounds) division, Donaire looked pedestrian in a 12-round decision win over Omar Narvaez in New York last October. The expected grand debut in the Big Apple turned out to be full of worms as Donaire failed to put away the passive Argentinian. To his credit, even at a low ebb Donaire was still tough to beat.

On Sunday (Manila time), at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, Donaire (27-1, 18 knockouts) will look to get everything back on track as he goes up against Puerto Rican Wilfredo Vazquez, Jr. ( 21- 1, 18 knockouts) for the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) super bantamweight ( 122 pounds) championship. Acknowledging the weight problems he had at bantamweight, Donaire has relinquished his World Boxing Council (WBC) and WBO belts in the division to pursue a third world championship in the 122- pound class. Donaire previously held regular world titles in the flyweight ( 112 pounds) and bantamweight divisions. He briefly held the WBA super flyweight crown (115 pounds), albeit only the interim version.

The move up in weight figures to serve Donaire well. For all his power and boxing skills, Donaire has been criticized for picking on Lilliputians. Donaire is quite tall (5’7”) for his weight class and he has always towered over opponents. For a change, Donaire is taking on Vazquez, a natural super bantamweight who will not be awed by the Filipino’s size.

Vazquez, 27, comes from a family of boxers. A younger brother, Israel, totes an unbeaten record (4-0) as a light flyweight (108 pounds). The father of the Vazquez boys is Wilfredo Vazquez Sr., a former three-division world champion ( bantamweight, super bantamweight and featherweight) who fought the likes of Naseem Hamed, Israel Contreras and Orlando Canizales in a career that lasted two decades (1981-2002).

Unlike Donaire who enjoyed an extensive amateur career, Vazquez took up boxing late. He initially thought of taking up law before being convinced to lace on the gloves. Vazquez was already 21 years old when he started training with his father.

Sans any amateur background, Vazquez turned pro in December 2006 with a first round knockout of Octavius Davis. He won his first 9 fights (8 by knockouts) before being held to a draw by Mexican Jorge Cardenas in December 2007. Vazquez rebounded by winning his next 11 fights. The most significant victory came in February 2010, when Vazquez flattened Filipino Marvin Sonsona in four rounds for the vacant WBO super bantamweight crown.

Vazquez successfully defended the 122- pound diadem twice before getting ambushed in May 2011 by Mexican slugger Jorge Arce. After holding his own early in the fight (even scoring a knockdown in round four), Vazquez succumbed to Arce’s whirlwind assaults in the 12th round.

Vazquez returned to action last October, blowing out a grossly faded Roberto Carlos Leyva in three rounds. Amid questions about his confidence, Vazquez has decided to roll the dice and take on Donaire.

Donaire, 29, is the overwhelming favorite to prevail over Vazquez. With a fresh new deal with Top Rank Promotions and an eye on boxing history, Donaire looks all pumped up. The Filipino Flash was recently overheard saying that with no weight issues to deal with, he feels as strong as Superman.

Vazquez offers decent boxing skills and a good left hook to the head and body, but his defense leaves a sour taste in the mouth. Vazquez is slow to get his arms back on defense and tends to stretch his left jab too long, making him vulnerable to an overhand right. The Puerto Rican’s stiff upper body also makes him susceptible to straight punches.

Donaire just has too many weapons at his disposal and it may be a case of pick-your-poison for Vazquez. The Filipino Flash should nail his third world title by a sizzling stoppage within six rounds.

For comments, the writer can be reached at atty_eduardo@yahoo.com.