Column: ALL WRITE

AL S. MENDOZA

DONAIRE TO WIN

IN 5 ROUNDS

VERSUS NARVAEZ

I say Nonito Donaire Jr. will not only defeat Omar Narvaez on Sunday (Oct 23). Donaire will win by knockout.

I am that confident.

One, Donaire is almost 5-foot-8 and Narvaez only 5-foot-3. Besides being exceptionally rangy, Donaire is quick and slippery for his height.

Two, if Narvaez boasts of an unbeaten record in 37 fights (35 wins, 2 draws, 19 KOs), so what?  Donaire (26-1, 18 KOs) is also unbeaten in his last 25 fights.

And three, the Argentinian Narvaez is fighting in America for only the first time.  Accustomed to virtually having his fights in Europe, he could be intimidated, if not terrorized, by the sudden glare of big time fighting in New York’s Madison Square Garden.

In contrast, Donaire has been in big-time fights all this time, and is almost a world celebrity himself now—having joined the elite Top 10 in the pound-for-pound rankings headed by our very own Manny Pacquiao.

OK, OK, before challenging Donaire, Narvaez was the 118-lb king for seven years, one of the longest reigns in boxing history.

Also, Narvaez has successfully defended his deserted flyweight title 16 times, a no mean feat by any yardstick used to measure a boxer’s worth in the beak-busting business.

Not to belittle Narvaez’s record, but some pundits suspect he might have fought untested pugs on his way to the top.

“If his victims were mostly taxi drivers, I wouldn’t be surprised,” said one famous expert, whose name escapes me at the moment.

In contrast yet again, Donaire has virtually fought the best of the best on his way to winning the 122-lb crown—a fact that made him to easily decide staking his WBC and WBO bantamweight titles against Narvaez.

Narvaez is also eight years Donaire’s senior. The age difference could also prove disadvantageous to Narvaez.  

And Donaire, 28, has been living up to his moniker, “The Filipino Flash,” knocking out his recent previous foes faster than Lady Gaga can change costumes.

And so I repeat:  If Donaire doesn’t knock out Narvaez, 36, within five rounds, darn. The crystal ball goes straight to the dustbin.

My quota of beer for the weekend, too.*