HBO HONORS DONAIRE
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 25 Dec 2007
IBF/IBO flyweight champion Nonito ?The Filipino Flash? Donaire continues to win yearend accolades for his stunning fifth round knockout over previously undefeated Australian Vic Darchinyan last July 7.
One day after the prestigious Ring Magazine picked Donaire?s victory over Darchinyan as the ?Knockout of the Year? as well as the ?Upset of the Year? Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today was informed by respected sportswriter/columnist Nat Gottlieb of the pre-eminent boxing TV network HBO that they had also given Donaire the same awards in their choice of ?The Best of 2007.?
Donaire who was elated when Viva Sports informed him of the Ring Magazine awards was even more thrilled when he learned of the HBO citations late Christmas eve from Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today. ?This is an honor. Its great to hear. I am now motivated more than ever to do a lot of things,? said the 25 year old champion.
Donaire said this is what every fighter wants to achieve but felt good that he did it on the first year of becoming a world champion.
Gottlieb noted that Donaire had ?some pretty stiff competition? for the ?Upset of the Year? from junior welterweight champion Gavin Rees and WBO bantamweight champion and Donaire?s idol Gerry Penalosa who also scored a stunning one-punch knockout to win the WBO crown from Jhonny Gonzalez.
Gottlieb said ?to appreciate how stunning Donaire?s knockout of the heavy-handed Darchinyan (28-0) was ?you had to look at the records of his three previous opponents. He beat Kevin Hudgins (5-9) just two months before facing Darchinyan and prior to that defeated Oscar Andrade (35-24-1) and Jose Luis Cardenas (5-6-1). He added, ?Donaire literally came out of nowhere.?
Reporting on the ?Knockout of the Year? award to Donaire, HBO said his one-punch knockout was ?as shocking to Vicious Vic (Darchinyan) as it was to fans. Gottlieb pointed out that Donaire?s counter left hook put Darchinyan down on the canvas. He added, ?In a sickening spectacle, the bloodied champion rose at the count of seven but his legs quickly gave way and he careened across the ring like a pinball before collapsing on the ropes, out on his feet.?
Gottlieb said that ?so devastating was the blow that Darchinyan later admitted he had no clue he had been knocked out until he saw the replay. Now that?s a KO!?
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