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It may not constitute fight of the year honors, like the Rios-Alvarado 2 and Bradley-Provodnikov bouts in the last few weeks, but it was one of the greatest performances and upsets by any professional prizefighter so far in 2013.
Super bantamweight Guillermo Rigondeaux managed to void the 30 fight, three division title win streak of Nonito Donaire – ceasing the Filipino’s offensive with an astonishingly accurate and sharp left hand last night at New York’s Radio City Music Hall to add the WBO crown to his WBA “super world” title.
Donaire was behind as far as 89-82 on my personal score card prior to his 10th round flash knockdown of Rigondeaux, but the concluding 116-111 scorecard was not enough for him, and the judges agreed turning in 116-111, 115-112, and ultra close 114-113 scorecard verdicts for Rigondeaux.
Rigondeaux hit the canvas in round 10, which may have struck a nerve, as in a pulsing tension-swaying attempt Rigondeaux seared Donaire’s right eye with massive left hooks off the back foot – placing his authority back into the fight.
Donaire announced post fight he will be moving up to the talent-flowing Featherweight division, a rematch with Rigondeaux may be in store for the future – but not now, quoted an “underprepared” Donaire.
On the undercard, Irish-American Long Beach based Seanie Monaghan (19-0-0 12 KO’s) obliterated little-known club fighter Dion “Rex” Savage (11-5-1 5 KO’s) in the very first round.
In a four round attraction, Puerto Rican Olympic star Felix Verdejo (5-0-0 4 KO’s) dismantled journeyman Steve Gutierrez (4-4-1 1 KO) in one short round.
Canadian fighter Mikael Zewski (18-0-0 14 KO’s) continues to impress since his signing with Top Rank lining up a second round knockout over Puerto Rican born Daniel Sostre (11-9-2 4 KO’s).
“Jersey Boy” Glen Tapia (17-0-0 10 KO’s) kept committed to his easy-winning ways with a cruising victory to the overmatched Joseph De Los Santos (14-12-3 6 KO’s)
In a four round scrap Tyler Canning (2-1-0 1 KO) incapacitated well skilled Italian Dario Soccia (2-1-0 0 KO’s) to win a split-decision. Both men endured much punishment in the back and forth battle although the judges scored it to the more aggressive Canning – he just skinned it off.
Also on the bill Erik De Leon (3-0-0 1 KO) and Toka Khan Clary (4-0-0 3 KO’s) walked with dominant victories in space filling bouts.
It was an amazing night of fights at the Radio City Music Hall, Hopefully you enjoyed our pre-fight and post-fight coverage of the bill which was televised live on HBO’s World Championship Boxing in the United States.
Corey Quincy is a boxing writer at Saddoboxing.com, his blog Blboxing.com
and others. Follow him on Twitter at Quincyboxingfan and like his Facebook page at Boxing Legends.
