But Donaire cannot believe his defeat to Magdaleno who is nine years younger than him.
Filipino-American boxer Nonito Donaire Jr. lost his WBO super bantamweight title to challenger Jessie Magdaleno in a close and action-filled bout on Saturday (Sunday morning, Philippine time) at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Magdelano took advantage of the slow start of Donaire to pull off the upset. The score cards revealed 116-112 twice and 118-110, all for the 24 year old Mexican- American fighter.
But although the score cards show that Magdaleno outscored the Filipino, Donaire still cannot believe his defeat, believing, rather, that he won the 12-round bout.
“We definitely won the fight. Losing this never crossed my mind. I controlled the second half. I can’t believe it”, said the dubbed “Filipino Flash”.
The younger boxer relied on looping left hands to rock the 33 year old boxer from the Philippines in the eighth round, and this is considered as the Las Vegas-based fighter’s best of the fight.
Magdaleno dazed Nonito in the corner, forcing the champion to the ropes and had him on the verge of dropping down but the Filipino Flash gathered himself up in the succeeding rounds and won most of his exchanged with Jessie.
“I don’t understand the scoring”, complained the Filipino Flash, who started the first couple of rounds looking tight and hesitant.
The two boxers exchanged their best punches in the second half of the bout, where Donaire let go of left hooks and straight while Magdaleno with his looping left.
When the final bell rung, both fighter had cuts in their eyebrow.
After being declared winner, having stolen Donaire’s belt, he approached the Filipino fighter and offered him some kind words.
“I have respect for you”, said the new holder of the WBO super bantamweight title belt.
Following his loss, Donaire dropped to 37-8, with 24 KOs, while Magdaleno stayed undefeated, getting his 24th victory, with 17 KOs.
