MULING nagpasiklab si “The Filipino Flash” Nonito Donaire, Jr. na pinatulog sa 6th round si No. 5 contender Stephon Young ng United States para mapanatili ang hawak niyang WBC at WBC Diamond bantamweight titles at pumasok sa finals ng World Boxing Super Series kahapon sa Cajundome, Lafayette, Louisiana sa United States.
Para kay Donaire, praktis lamang ang laban niyang ito matapos umatras ang pinaghandaan niyang si WBO bantamweight champion Zolani Tete ng South Africa.
Bumagsak si Young eksaktong 2:45 ng 6th round ng tamaan ng pamosong left hook ni Donaire at hindi na ito binilangan ng Amerikanong referee na si Mark Nelson.
“We came in here with a good game plan, but Stephon is a slick fighter so it was tough to come up with a good game plan,” sabi ni Donaire sa BoxingScene.com matapos ang laban. “One way or another I paid for it with scratches on my right hand, but it paid off.”
Hihintayin na lamang ni Donaire ang magwawagi sa kapwa walang talong sina IBF bantamweight titlist Emmanuel Rodriguez ng Puerto Rico at WBA regular bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue ng Japan sa Mayo 18 sa Glasgow, Scotland.
“I have all the respect in the world for Naoya Inoue,” pag-amin ni Donaire. “There was an unspoken goal in Japan between me and Inoue to go to the finals. I look forward to facing him in the finals.”
Napaganda ni Donaire ang kanyang rekord sa 40 panalo, 5 talo na may 26 pagwawagi sa knockouts samantalang bumagsak ang kartada ni Young sa 18-2-3 na may 7 panalo sa knockouts.
-Gilbert Espeña