By Chris Williams: WBO super bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire (31-1, 20 KO’s) will be taking his first test in many years when he faces WBA World super bantamweight champion Guillermo Rigondeaux (11-0, 8 KO’s) on April 13th at the Radio City Music Hall, in New York, New York, USA.
Donaire’s promoters at Top Rank have been steering him around Rigondeaux and Abner Mares, and he’s been taking the safe route against guys like Jorge Arce, Jeffrey Mathebula and Wilfredo Vazquez Jr.
Rigondeaux is perhaps the most dangerous guy that Donaire has faced since he took on Rafael Concepcion in 2009, and took a beating in that fight and had to run around the ring to survive. What made Conception so tough were his power and his aggression. He had no fear Donaire at all.
If you look at the fight again you can see that Conception dive bombing on Donaire with these charging attacks that had Donaire looking unnerved because the punishment he was taking. Donaire was unable to time Conception with his left hook because Conception didn’t come in slowly or haltingly like a lot of his opponents.
Conception was just flying at Donaire and getting by his left hook almost every time. Once he would get past Donaire’s left hook, Conception would pound Donaire with heavy shots to the head and body. Donaire won the fight by a 12 round decision, but I had the fight scored a draw.
Rigondeaux has the same power that Conception had going for him, but his speed, body punching and counter punching are far superior to Conception. That’s what I like about Rigondeaux. He’s got a lot going for him on the offensive side of his game that can more than match Donaire.
Defensively, Rigondeaux is worlds above Donaire in talent. The two are far apart in the defensive skills department. Donaire’s offense and huge size is really his defense because he makes it hard for his opponents to get near him because he loads up with his left hook all the time.
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