Donaire Finishes Arce

by Chuck Johnson

Jorge Arce, Nonito Donaire - Photo Credit: Will Hart

Nonito Donaire made sure he wouldn’t be another heavily-favored champion from the Philippines losing his title to a former champion from Mexico.

On a HBO telecast that began with the taped replay of Juan Manuel Marquez’s stunning sixth-round knockout of Manny Pacquiao last week in Las Vegas, Donaire exacted a measure of revenge for Filipino fans Saturday at the Toyota Center in Houston where he retained his WBO super bantamweight championship with a knockout victory against Mexican challenger Jorge Arce at 2:59 of the third round.

 “I went out there and pretty much timed him,” Donaire, nicknamed the “Filipino Flash,” said of the left hook he used to finish the fight.  He also scored a knockdown in the second round when Arce tumbled backwards and his gloves touched the canvas from the champion’s straight right hand .

“I knew he was going to open up,’’ Donaire said. “He was a tough guy and he got me to the body a few times. But I caught him with the straight right hand and the counter (left) hook did him in.”

The victory was Donaire’s fourth this year, all in the 122-pound weight division, after winning titles previously at flyweight, super flyweight and bantamweight. His extraordinarily busy activity and success has him a top candidate for 2012’s Fighter of the Year.

Read the Rest of the Donaire vs. Arc e Recap on HBO.com.

Donaire Closes Packed Year Against Arce

by Kieran Mulvaney

This Saturday marks HBO’s final live boxing broadcast of 2012 (as well as a replay of last week’s breathtaking fourth contest between Juan Manuel Marquez and Manny Pacquiao, and the season finale of The Fight Game with Jim Lampley). The broadcast is headlined by Nonito Donaire closing out a busy year with a defense of his super bantamweight (122-pound) title against Mexico’s Jorge Arce, in what promises to be an all-action affair. Here’s a capsule summary of the two combatants:

Nonito Donaire
Nickname: The Filipino Flash
Age: 30
Record: 30-1 (19 KOs)

Career Highlights: Donaire is an exciting boxer-puncher who exploded on the scene with a stunning knockout of then-undefeated Vic Darchinyan in July 2007. That win garnered him his first world title, at 112 pounds, and he has since won world crowns at 118 and 122 pounds. The stunning second-round shot that disposed of Fernando Montiel last year not only netted him two bantamweight belts, it was universally regarded as the Knockout of the Year.

2012 in Review: Sometimes criticized for interspersing eye-popping performances such as those against Darchinyan and Montiel with periods of relative inactivity, Donaire has this year been one of the busiest boxers in the sport. After clear, if sometimes difficult, points wins over Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. and Jeffrey Mathebula, he stopped highly regarded Japanese fighter Toshiaki Nishioka in October. A win over Arce would likely make Donaire the front-runner for Fighter of the Year honors.

Jorge Arce
Nickname: El Travieso
Age: 33
Record: 61-6-2 (46 KOs)

Career Highlights: Arce is as well-known for his ring entrances – frequently on top of a horse, with a cowboy hat adorning his head and a lollipop in his mouth – as for his all-action style in the ring. He won his first world title, at 108 pounds, more than 10 years ago, defending it seven times before beginning a rise through the weight classes. Losses to Cristian Mijares, Vic Darchinyan and Simphiwe Nongqayi appeared to have ended his run at the top, but he re-launched himself with a come-from-behind stoppage defeat of Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. in May 2011.

2012 in Review: Like Donaire, Arce has been busy in 2012, but against a lesser level of foes and with sometimes inconclusive results. A five-round stoppage of Lorenzo Parra  was followed by a Las Vegas matchup with Jesus Rojas in which Rojas, who had been dropped in round one, landed a rapid fire succession of fouls – headbutt, low blow and shot to the back of the head – that rendered Arce unable to continue and resulted in a no-contest. His most recent outing was a dominant points win over compatriot Mauricio Martinez.

Donaire Needs to Whip Arce to Win Year-End Honor

by Nat Gottlieb

If Nonito Donaire can beat Jorge Arce in impressive fashion on Dec. 15, “The Filipino Flash” could thrust himself into the frontrunner’s role for Fighter of the Year honors. But Arce, the Mexican warrior who has been known to ride to the ring on a horse, has said several times that this will be his last year in boxing, and dollars to pesos says there’s no way Arce wants to ride off into the sunset slumped over a saddle.

In an era when the top boxers in the sport fight just one or two times a year, Donaire will be making his fourth title defense of 2012. That alone should put him in the mix for the year's top fighter. Of those in front of Donaire on the mythical pound-for-pound ladder, Floyd Mayweather has fought only once, Manny Pacquiao twice, Andre Ward once, and Sergio Martinez twice. “If he beats Arce, he will have successfully defended his title four times,” says Donaire’s manager, Cameron Dunkin, who has overseen the destinies of more than 20 world champions. “That should mean something.”

Arce, however, represents a dangerous roadblock. In the twilight of his career, the beloved Mexican brawler has experienced a rejuvenation of sorts, having beaten nine straight opponents, including previously unbeaten champion Wilfredo Vasquez Jr. last year. “Arce is a tough bastard, and he’s going to fight his ass off against Nonito,” Dunkin says.

Read the Rest of the Donaire vs. Arce Overview on HBO.com

CompuBox Analysis: Donaire vs. Arce

by CompuBox

Contrasts lie at the heart of boxing, both in terms of styles and personalities. The differences between Saturday's main event fighters -- WBO super bantamweight titlist Nonito Donaire and Mexican veteran Jorge Arce -- couldn't be more stark. Donaire has a pleasant but reserved demeanor while Arce is the ultimate extrovert. Donaire is careful and scientific as he picks his opponents apart while Arce bulldozes his way inside and blasts away with both hands, often bleeding heavily as he does so. Donaire is making a big run toward Fighter of the Year status for 2012 while Arce is looking to achieve yet another improbable comeback. In other words, Donaire is clinical; Arce is chaotic.

Will one of the best of today add to his impressive resume or will one of yesterday's best find his way back to the top of the mountain?

Read the CompuBox prediction for Nonito Donaire vs. Jorge Arce on HBO.com.