Nonito Donaire won the WBA (Super) Featherweight World Title in Macau on Saturday night but an unsatisfactory end to the fight took the shine off the Bohol born boxer’s first ever championship in the 126 lbs division.
The ‘Filipino Flash’ was challenging Simpiwe Vetyeka for a belt which the South African claimed with a surprise win over the previously undefeated Indonesian Chris John in Australia last December.
Donaire was the 2012 Fighter of the Year but fell down the pound for pound rankings after suffering a unanimous decision loss at the hands of former Olympic gold medallist Guillermo Rigondeaux last year.
He was making his featherweight debut at the Cotai Arena in Macau and there were several thousand Filipino fans in attendance to cheer on the popular fighter who grew up in General Santos City.
At the end of the opening round an accidental clash of heads left Donaire clutching his head as blood streamed from a gash above his left eye. The referee did not signal that the cut had been caused by a butt leaving everyone in attendance under the impression that if the fight was stopped Vetyeka would be declared the winner.
Despite being in visible discomfort Donaire fought like a man on a mission and managed to drop Vetyeka in the fourth round with a trademark left hook. It was a brave performance from the Filipino but his efforts appeared to be in vein when the referee waved off the fight before the bell could sound for the fifth.
Under the WBA rules if a fight is stopped due to a cut caused by a punch then the injured boxer is declared the loser, but if the cut is caused by a headbutt then the outcome is decided by the scorecards provided at least four rounds have elapsed.
Replays proved conclusively that the cut had been caused by a clash of heads but the referee didn’t inform either the boxers or judges that he felt this was the case leaving everyone in attendance anticipating a TKO win for Vetyeka.
The knockdown proved crucial with Donaire declared the winner by unanimous decision but the announced that the fight would go to the scorecards was greeted with widespread surprise and the timing and circumstances of the stoppage attracted criticism from many quarters.
Speaking after the fight Donaire admitted he was not satisfied with the manner of his victory and immediately promised Vetyeka a rematch which could conceivably take place on the same card as Manny Pacquiao’s November 23rd fight in Macau.
Despite the controversial conclusion to the fight the record books will merely reflect the fact that Donaire won a world title in a fifth division and his name can be added once again to the list of current Filipino world champions.
