Nonito Donaire accepts boxing?s biggest award for 2012
By Rich Mazon
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 12 Apr 2013
New York, NY ? Two years ago, Nonito Donaire?s career was in limbo. He was involved in a messy dispute over his contract by the two leading promoters of the sport. The momentum he built following a sensational 2nd round knockout of Fernando Montiel was placed on hold after he bolted Top Rank and signed with rival Golden Boy Promotions.
Donaire returned to Top Rank?s fold, and fought eight months after his knockout of Montiel, figuring in an unexciting match here in New York against Omar Andres Narvaez. Armed with a new contract and a new direction for his career, Donaire and Top Rank embarked on a busy 2012.
The Filipino star fought four times last year, winning the first two by decisions and the other two by knockouts. He was the busiest of all elite fighters, winning a fourth belt in a third weight division when he climbed up in weight to defeat Wilfredo Vazquez Jr.
He was not only successful in defending his new title, but also unified it with a victory over Jeffrey Mathebula and in theory, was also its undisputed champ with a win over Toshiaki Nishioka, who was the co-holder of the WBC title. He then punctuated the year with a dominant 3rd round stoppage of Mexican Jorge Arce last December.
Last night, his achievements were recognized by the Boxing Writers Association of America. Donaire was named the 2012 Fighter of The Year by the BWAA in its annually held ceremonial dinner. And Donaire cannot contain his emotions as he accepted his Sugar Ray Robinson trophy from BWAA president Jack Hirsch.
?Wow. I am very emotional right now, cutting down weight and fighting. It is an overwhelming thing to be in front of everybody here in attendance, people that I look up to,? Donaire opened his speech.
And while suspicions of PED use continued to hound the sport, Donaire accomplished all that under the microscope. He led the sport by voluntary submitting to round-the-clock testing by VADA, an organization aimed at testing athletes for banned substances, while others content themselves with inadequate to non-existent testing.
?I want to show you that, the small little boy who was wheezing between rounds and who barely had enough strength to hold up his gloves ended up taking up four world titles and doing so in a clean manner,? Donaire attested, and was applauded heavily after making that statement.
Donaire credited his team, his promoter Top Rank, TV networks HBO and ABS-CBN, his wife Rachel who is in pregnant with their first baby and the boxing writers who nominated and granted him the highest honor granted a boxer for the year.
?Words that you guys write will always come down to history and I thank you for having me here and for giving me this opportunity,? Donaire addressed the country?s foremost group of boxing journalists gathered at The Capitale ballroom in the Little Italy neighborhood of the city.
The three division champ encouraged the young fans of boxing to dream, citing himself as an example of what they can achieve if they believe in themselves.
?I believe in the impossibility that there is none. When you reach your goal, you always reach your star. Here I am a kid from nowhere, receiving the biggest award and I humbly accept this award with all my heart,? he ended.
You can reach the author at rrmaze24@yahoo.com and follow him on Twitter @Freemazon910.
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