Nonito Donaire Stops Fernando Montiel in 2

Nonito Donaire stops Fernando Montiel in the
second round Saturday night

By Randy De La O


Nonito Donaire did his best, this past Saturday, to make his case for being the number one Filipino fighter in the world, as well as solidifying his pound for pound ranking and he just might have stolen some of Manny Pacquiao's fans in the process. He beat a respectably good champion in Fernando Montiel, who had lost only twice in his career and has to be considered a fighter still in his prime before the match.

You could tell right from the start that Donaire was the quicker,sharper puncher. Montiel had his chin up and his hands low. After throwing a right hand and bringing it back way too low, Doniare caught him with a counter left hook. Montiel's legs were flailing. I don't know why the referee, Russell Mora, let it go on. Montiel a game fighter, for sure, got up from what appeared to be a devastating knockout and took a few more needless shots to the head. The light was already out.

My friend, retired Southland Sportswriter Bill O'Neill had this to say about Donaire: "All I can say is, Wow! His starching of Montiel is proof enough that his one-punch knockout of Vic Darchinyan a few years back was no fluke. It is rare to see a very good and deserving world champion get laid out like that. Darchinyan, you may recall, is a bully-boy in the mold of Jake LaMotta: just walking through good fighters, beating them up and beating them down. (One of the guys he beat on was Nonito's older brother, Glen Donaire--a very good fighter in his own right.) And Donaire put him down and out with one shot, just as he did Montiel.

I'm not quite ready to place the Filipino Flash (as Donaire is called) ahead of Terry McGovern, Manuel Ortiz, Ruben Olivares, and Eder Jofre just yet--but believe me, anyone his weight that he hits with that left hook is goin' down! One-shot knockout punchers come along only once every 20 years--if that often. And this kid has that kind of shocking power."


I couldn't agree more Donaire seems to be the real deal.

Saul Alvarez vs Larry Mosley

By: Randy De La O

I only caught one fight from last night's fights at the Morongo Casino Resort and Spa, in Cabazon, California, and it was a fairly good one.  Unbeaten welterweight prospect Saul "Canelo" Alvarez (22-0-1, 15 KOs)  , of Juanacatlan, Jalisco, Mexico,  won a unanimous ten round decision over Larry Mosley  (15-3-1, 6 KOs) , of Los Angeles, California, who was fighting for only the second time after a two year layoff. Mosley was stopped in the sixth round in June of this year in his fight against Russell Jordan. The fight was scheduled for eight. Despite being a fairly decent boxer, Mosley was probably a safe bet for Alvarez.

Alvarez, an aggresive fighter, fights with an exuberance, confidence  and recklessness that only an undefeated 18 year old can.  Forward moving and strong, he showed lots of potential but made  a few of mistakes. Mainly, he  over reaches when he throws his right hand and is open to a counter uppercut, made all the more dangerous because Alvarez keeps his chin up when he throws his right hand.  The right opponent will take advantage of that. Still he's young and there's time to correct this.

Alvarez  took the fight to Mosley, who had his moments, but just didn't have the punch to capitalize on Alvarez' lack of a solid defense.

Junior Featherweight Antonio Escalante (18-2, 12 KOs) stopped Mike Oliver (21-2, 7 KOs) in 33 seconds of the third round of a scheduled twelve round fight for the NABO title.

Junior welterweight Hector Sanchez (17-0, 7 KOs) knocked out Albert Rodriguz (8-0-1, 4 KOs) in 1:23 seconds of the second round.

Canchila defeats Segura for WBA title

Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images

By Scottg
First off , I'm nor trying to take over your web page R-Man you have built an awesome site here. But, I happened to notice that this site neglected to recognize the new WBA light flyweight champion Cesar Canchila with an impressive decsion win over previously unbeaten Giovani Segura on last Saturdays Cotto/Margarito under card. He weathered Segura's counter punching bombs early on, got up off the canvas, settled down and boxed very well. He negated Segura's looping bombs by using straight sharp jabs and power punches to almost close Segura's right eye. Just an observation on my part but did anyone else notice that when Segura threw his right he dropped his left down to his waist and when he threw his left he also brought it back low. >>>

On Miguel Cotto

Let me do what I failed to do earlier, and that is give credit to Miguel Cotto. I always have empathy for the losing fighter. I know what it's like to lose. I know what it's like to taste your own blood in defeat and I know what it's like to have to face the people in your life when you have fallen short of your goal, in this case, winning the fight. It's a hell of a thing to climb through those ropes, whether it''s for a six round semi wind up, or an epic title fight with the entire world watching.

Up until the final seconds Miguel Cotto was still in the fight. Yes, the inevitability was obvious. But because this was Miguel Cotto, nothing was a sure thing, not even the obvious inevitable ending. Cotto continued to box, countering Margarito's right hand with his left hook, and even up until the end he was trying, hoping, doing his absolute best not to let his countrymen down. That is what made this such a great fight. Yes, at some point it became almost painful to watch, but you have to admire two professionals that took the shots they did and still kept punching. If Margarito was magnificent in victory, so was Cotto in defeat. Yes, he succumbed to the force of nature that is Antonio Margarito. There is no shame in that. Looking inward though, Cotto will not see that. His psyche has been damaged. How could it not be? When a man steps into the ring he lays it all on the line, everything, his pride, his career, his future, his reputation and sometimes even his life.

There was, from my perspective, high drama last night. Two warriors that gave every last ounce of strength in their bodies. I salute them both. That ladies and gentlemen is professional boxing, the king of sports.

Antonio Margarito Talks After His Win Over Cotto

Referee Kenny Bayless

For a moment there in last nights fight between Antonio Magarito and Miguel Cotto, I had a moment of dejavu. Cotto dropped to his knees just as Margarito was closing in on him, Margarito let the punches go and the last one hit him while he was down. It's hard to stop the punches once you let them go, and it's easy to lose perspective of where your opponent is, which is why we have a referee. Lucky for us, Kenny Bayless never gave it any consideration. This is how the fight between Humberto Soto and Francisco Lorenzo should have ended, without controversy. I hope Joe Cortez was taking notes. Two completely different fights I know, but when I heard one of the announcers say out loud "Margarito hit him while he was down" I knew what they were referring to. Like them I thought "Oh no, not again". Kudos to referee Kenny Bayless for doing a good job last night.

Austin Trout Beats Byron "Buddy" Tyson

"No Doubt" about it, Austin "No Doubt" Trout (15-0, 11 KOs) pitched a shutout. Trout, of Las Cruces, New Mexico, won virtually every round in his eight rounder with Californian Byron "Buddy" Tyson (9-1-2, 4 KOs) tonight at the Grand Plaza Hotel in Houston, Texas. Austin, a southpaw, and an accurate puncher, was a much quicker boxer than Tyson. Trout took command from the onset, stuck with his game plan and counter punched his way to a well earned victory. He remained composed throughout the fight. With the exception of a low blow and a right hand or two Tyson never really got off.

This was Trout's first exposure on a national level, with the fight being broadcast on ESPN2. He, and trainer Louie Burke made the most of it. Trout a junior middleweight is in a talent rich division, which includes the welterweights just below and the middleweights directly above. He has a lot of potential. The future looks bright for Austin Trout.

Francisco Lorenzo Will Not Get 130 Lb Interim Title

Does this man look like a winner?

In a rare display of good judgment and common sense, WBC president for life has announced that Francisco Lorenzo will not be getting the 130 pound interim title. Despite Lorenzo's best attempt to stop Humberto Soto by absorbing as many of Soto's punches as humanly possible, and despite Joe Cortez' best attempt to aid and abet Lorenzo in his "Crime", the fight has been declared a "No Contest". It will however, still go in the record books as a DQ win for Lorenzo. Go Figure. Small comfort for Soto, who should put this farce of a decision behind him and move on. Judging by his post fight interview that's what he's doing.


Just seconds earlier, Francisco Lorenzo unable to move, was sprawled on the ring in "agony" until lifted to his seat by Humberto Soto. Immediately after hearing he was declared the winner, through divine intervention or perhaps through pure courage and willpower, Lorenzo suddenly leapt to his feet in joy. It's amazing what an undeserved win can do for a guy's health and state of mind....

Pacquiao-Diaz Undercard

Steven Luevano, of La Puente, California, managed to keep his title last night after fighting to a draw with Mario Santiago of Ponce, Puerto Rico in an exciting fight that surpassed all expectations. Both fighters were down in the second round, and both took turns rocking each other. It was a classic give and take fight. I understand Santiago's grief and disappointment, to fight your heart out and end up with a draw and no title, but it was a fair decision. Santiago certainly deserves a rematch and if Luevano expects to be taken seriously as a champ, he'll give him one.

Regarding the Monte Barrett and Tye Fields "fight", and I use the term "fight" subjectively, there is not much to say. Barrett stopped the giant Fields in 57 seconds of the first round.

In one of the most controversial ending to a fight that I've seen in quite a while, super featherweight contender Humberto Soto, in what has to be the hard luck story of the year, lost the fight to journeyman Francisco Lorenzo, by disqualification, in what has to be the most ludicrous call I have ever witnessed.

In round four, after battering a thoroughly beaten Lorenzo around the ring and on the verge of a knockout, Soto was inexplicably pulled off of Lorenzo by the seeming daft and incompetent Joe Cortez, without a word of explanation and without a standing eight count for Lorenzo, then allowed to continue, and again, Soto on the verge of a knockout is pulled away from certain victory by Cortez and again allowed to continue. During the final exchange as Soto was raining blows upon Lorenzo, who on his last legs threw himself to his knees. One of Soto's punches grazed his head and confusion ensued in the ring.

Seizing the opportunity that he himself had created, Lorenzo cried foul and Cortez, who seems to be deteriorating with every fight, bought into it. Not having the the confidence to make the determination himself, in what was his call to make, and after conferring with every ring official he could find, and without a warning, or at the very least, a point deduction, Cortez finally awarding the fight to Lorenzo. It was unbelievable. Soto's career shouldn't be hurt by this and he shouldn't bother with a rematch either. All things considered Soto took it pretty well. Cortez needs to be reevaluated for his competency as a referee.

Manny Pacquiao Stops David Diaz

On David Diaz:

Manny Steward called him a throwback fighter, similar to Jake LaMotta. I agree, I also saw shades of Rocky Graziano, especially during the post fight interview. There's no pound for pound rating for hearts and guts, but if there were Diaz would be at the top of the list. Diaz is my kind of fighter, always trying, always coming forward, always believing he can win this fight, always throwing his punches. As Jim Lampley so aptly put it, "It was a merciful knockout". Diaz would still be punching otherwise. There is no quit in David Diaz!

On Manny Pacquiao:

He answered all the questions and then some. Pacquiao is a human dynamo, a force of nature, he was magnificent.. It doesn't make one bit of difference if Floyd Mayweather Jr. retires or not, Pacquiao has been the pound for pound champ for quite a while. If you don't think so, then you haven't been paying attention. I'll go one step further and say that Junior better stay retired because Manny just might invade the welterweights in the near future. Wouldn't surprise me.

On the Referee:

Vic Drakulich did what he was supposed to do. He gave David Diaz every benefit of the doubt that he could have. For the most part he let them fight their fight, as a good referee should.

On The Fight:
Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino Las Vegas, Nevada

Diaz started off confidently enough and was relaxed and clearly he wasn't intimidated by Pacquiao. In the second round it quickly became clear that Manny's speed and boxing ability was too much for Diaz. With a cut on his nose, and later in the fight, a cut over his left eye, it soon became a desperate situation for Diaz. The fight was as much about the courage of one man as it it was about the skill and total dominance of the other. Each round became a repetition of the last, only more so. On one hand it was painful to watch a man get so thoroughly beaten, on the other hand you just couldn't help but admire his belief that he could still win the fight. The fight was stopped at 2:24 of the ninth round by a Pacquiao straight left. It ended the only way it could, the only way it should for a warrior like Diaz. Pacquiao won the fight and Diaz' WBC Lightweight title. Boxing is alive and well, and thriving. Rumors of it's demise are premature.