CARSON, California -
Four-division Filipino world champion Nonito Donaire has cemented his
reputation in the sweet science of boxing as he defeated the towering South
African pugilist and former Olympian, Jeffrey Mathebula by a dominating
unanimous decision victory to bag the
unified WBO Super Bantamweight and IBF Super Bantamweight belts in a sold-out
The Home Depot Center minutes earlier.
Mathebula, who only got
three losses prior to the fight, was heavily bombarded with left hooks from the
Filipino slugger that left him groggy in the early ticks. Despite the Mongoose’s
large and reach advantage, the Filipino slugger was able to maintain his composed
aggressiveness as he punches and stalks the South African.
In the fourth round, a
left hook shocker left the slender opponent to the canvas to the frenzy of the
California crowd. Blood was already oozing from the nose of Mathebula forty
minutes remaining in the seconds obviously looking hurt.
In the fifth round, vicious
right straights were released by the Filipino flash that accurately landed on
his targets. Mathebula employs his jabs to ward off attacks from his smaller
opponent clearly to survive the rounds.
The South African
Olympian’s recurring strategy was ‘hit-and-run’ much like the match between the
smaller Manny Pacquiao versus Mosley in 2010. The Mongoose lost his feistiness as
he backpedalled most of the time to elude the flurries from the four-time Filipino
world champion. This went on from the middle to the last rounds to the dismay
and boos of the crowd. The Filipino switch-hitter continues to stalk and score
despite his opponent’s failure in engaging with him in a toe-to-toe match.
Mathebula covers up and
continues to run away from the barrage of Donaire until the final round to the frustration
of boxing aficionados and television viewers alike.
Nonito Donaire Jr.
improves his boxing record to 29 wins (with 18 via knockout) and one loss. Mathebula
is the second South African fighter to face with a Filipino fighter in a
championship match. First was in the big break of Manny Pacquiao versus
Lehlonoholo Ledwaba in 2001.
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