Nonito Donaire outslugs Juarez to win WBO title

MANILA, Philippines – Nonito Donaire Jr. survived a life-and-death challenge from tough Mexican Cesar Juarez to win the vacant WBO junior featherweight title by a unanimous decision at Coliseo Roberto Clemente on Saturday, December 12 (Manila time).

The scores were all in favor of the Filipino-American boxer, 116-110, 116-110 and 117-109, as Donaire closes 2015 once again a world champion.

Donaire, who has won titles in 4 weight classes, appeared on his way to an early blowout victory, landing a counter right hand in the opening round that stunned Juarez as much with speed as it did with power. Donaire scored two knockdowns in the fourth round, the product of his trademark left hooks, but Juarez rose up each time and continued to apply pressure in hopes of wearing his opponent down.

UPPERCUT https://t.co/Zq987HiIkq

— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) December 12, 2015

Just as it seemed Donaire (36-3, 23 knockouts) was on the verge of a blowout win, Juarez (17-4, 13 KOs) came right back. The second half of the fight was just as much a fight for survival as it was for victory.

(READ: For Nonito Donaire, father really knows best)

By the sixth round the roughness of the fight was beginning to wear more on the 33-year-old Donaire, as his left eye swelled and he limped noticeably after turning his ankle. Donaire was cut on his right eye in round 7 as Juarez sensed his window of opportunity and landed more frequently on a slowing Donaire.

The 24-year-old Juarez, who earned this shot by scoring upsets over Cesar Seda and Juan Carlos Sanchez Jr, pressured Donaire to the ropes late in the fight, and should have been credited with a knockdown in round 10 as Donaire went down on the back end of a left hook. Still, Donaire had enough in the tank to land effective punches off the ropes in round 11 as Juarez tried to take a breather.

Donaire could have had the awareness to avoid contact in round 12 and sit on his early lead. Instead, he fought like a champion, swinging for the fences with rights and lefts as Juarez searched for the one punch that could erase Donaire’s early work and score a knockout victory.

“I will definitely give him a rematch,” Donaire said in the post-fight interview, as quoted by Agence France-Presse.

“The judges were not fair,” Juarez said afterwards. “It was much closer, like a one or two point fight. But I do think Donaire won.”

(READ: The loneliest victory for Nonito Donaire Jr)

The win marks the first time Donaire has held a title at 122 since 2013, following his decision loss to Guillermo Rigondeaux, and gives him his first title belt since losing the WBA featherweight title by knockout to Nicholas Walters in October of 2014. The title had been stripped of Rigondeaux by the WBO due to the inactivity of the unbeaten Cuban.

Donaire joins WBO/The Ring magazine junior flyweight champ Donnie Nietes as the only two current Filipino boxing world champions. – Rappler.com