SPORTS SHORTS 134: THE NONITO DONAIRE VS. NORDINE OUBAALI SUPPORTING EVENTS
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 19 May 2021
After several postponements, WBC bantamweight world champion Nordine Oubaali and future Hall of Famer Nonito Donaire will meet in a title fight on Saturday, May 29, the main headliner of a Premier Boxing Champions event at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.
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Showtime will also feature the hard-hitting Subriel Matias (16-1, 16 KOs) facing undefeated Batyr Jukembayev (18-0, 14 KOs) in an IBF junior welterweight title eliminator in the co-main event.
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The telecast will open with unbeaten 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympian Gary Antuanne Russell taking on Jovanie Santiago in a 10-round super lightweight clash.
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Born in Fajardo, Puerto Rico and still residing in his birth place, Matias pummeled previously unbeaten Malik Hawkins of Baltimore, Maryland en route to a 7th round knockout win on October 24, 2020 in a crowdless Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut.
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The 29-year-old bounced back from a huge upset, where Armenian Petros Ananyan edged a decision over the previously-unbeaten "Browny" Matias, which kicked off the Wilder-Fury 2 preliminaries in Las Vegas. Before that single loss, Matias stopped all his 15 opponents and never arrived at a decision.
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“I’m pleased about this opportunity,” said Matias. “I appreciate my team for making this fight possible. The best man will win on May 29, and I commend my opponent for stepping up to the challenge. We’re going to deliver a great fight for the fans."
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The 30-year-old Jukembayev rose in the rankings with a unanimous decision victory over former world champion Miguel Vazquez of Guadalajara, Mexico in September 26, 2019 for the WBA Continental Americas and IBF Intercontinental super lightweight titles.
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Then Jukembayev defeated Mexican Ricardo Lara of El Grullo, Jalisco, Mexico at the Montreal Casino in Quebec, Canada on January 25, 2020. The Kazakh knocked out Lara in the second round in a ten-round fight.
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Born in Shu, Kazakhstan and fought out of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Jukembayev turned pro in September 2015 after establishing a magnificent amateur record of 203-40. He will have his U.S. debut on May 29 when he fights his toughest foe so far in the KO specialist Matias.
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“I’ve had a full training camp in Los Angeles with Manny Robles, and I’m ready to showcase myself on the world stage,” said Jukembayev. “I’m undefeated, and my time is now. I’m facing a strong and experienced opponent, but I believe that I have all of the tools to be victorious on May 29.”
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The 24-year-old Gary Antuanne Russell (13-0, 13 KOs) has stopped every opponent and no one was able to make it to the distance since he started his professional career in 2017 after competing at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
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Russell of Capitol Heights, Maryland, in his latest fight knocked out Jose Marrufo of Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico in the first round in February 8, 2020 in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
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Russell belongs to a prominent boxing family. All five brothers in their family are named Gary after their father Gary Russell, Sr. Four of them are boxers who are trained by their father. One of his brothers is WBC featherweight champion Gary Jr.
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“I’m following in the footsteps of a champion, my older brother Gary Russell Jr.,” said Russell. “Our bloodline is strong. I’m among a bloodline of royalty. It’s only natural that I’m walking in his footsteps towards becoming a champion of my own. I’m looking forward to May 29. Another one bites the dust.”
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Born in Bayamon, Puerto Rico and now residing in Dorado, Santiago (14-1-1, 10 KOs) showed a bery impressive U.S. debut in February despite losing a controversial decision against four-division champion Adrien Broner. According to Compubox stats, Santiago outperformed Broner in both punches landed and thrown.
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The 31-year-old had won four of five fights by knockout before the Broner fight, following a 10-round decision triumph over DeMarcus Corley of Washington, District of Columbia, in April 7, 2017. Santiago’s only blemish before the Broner fight was a majority draw with Marco Padilla of Toa Baja, Puerto Rico in his third pro bout.
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“I always train very hard regardless of my opponent, and that’s no different this time for Russell,” said Santiago. “Everyone saw what I did against Broner. Now fighting at 140-pounds, I’m going to continue to show what I can do in this division. My opponent is strong, but I’m ready for whatever he brings. My performance will get me noticed for sure.”
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“Oubaali and Donaire have been preparing to face each other for at least a year now, so you know these two warriors will be ready to let their fists fly once the bell finally rings on May 29,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions.
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“Oubaali has proven himself a force at bantamweight and will have a chance to reach a new level with a victory against Nonito Donaire, who has solidified his Hall of Fame credentials by adding to his resume in recent years."
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"With two exciting undercard fights leading up to our main event, this should be a high-stakes night from start to finish," concluded Brown.
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Kattie Taylor won the 2012 London Olympic gold medal in the women's lightweight class. She became a two-weight world champion and the current undisputed lightweight champion, winning the WBA title since 2017, the IBF title since 2018, and the WBC, WBO, and Ring magazine titles since 2019.
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She also held the WBO junior-welterweight title in 2019. Then she became one of only eight boxers in history (female or male) to hold simultaneously all four major world titles in boxing—WBA, WBC, IBF, and WBO.
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NBA Play-in matchups: The winners of Wizards vs. Celtics in the East and Warriors vs. Lakers in the West will earn the No. 7 seed in their respective conferences, while the losers will face the winners of Hornets vs. Pacers in the East and Spurs vs. Grizzlies in the West on Thursday and Friday to contest for the No. 8 seed.
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The Last Ten Small Forwards who became NBA MVP:
Julius Erving: 1981
Larry Bird: 1984, 1985, 1986
LeBron James: 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013
Kevin Durant: 2014
Source: fadeawayworld.net
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Small forwards have the advantage in gaining an MVP Award because they have the size and athleticism. Dr. J, Julius Erving, won the MVP in 1981 with per game averages of 24.6 points and 8.0 rebounds for the Philadelphia 76ers. Three years later, Larry Bird won three straight MVP Awards.
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Bird had per game averages of more than 25 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists in those three years with 2 NBA titles. LeBron James was the next small forward to win the MVP Award with 4 awards back-to-back in 2009, 2010, and in 2012 and 2013.
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Kevin Durant followed by winning it in 2014 by averaging 32.0 points and 7.4 rebounds per game for the Oklahoma City Thunder as a 25-year league superstar. LeBron and Durant were the two best small forwards in the NBA for the past two decades.
Photo shows
Top Row (L-R) Matias, Oubaali-Donaire
Bottom Row (L-R) Jukembayev, Russel, Santiago
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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