Winner by unanimous decision, Donaire world champion anew

MANILA, Philippines - Nonito Donaire Jr. fought Cesar Juarez like his life was at stake yesterday, earning a unanimous decision and winning the vacant WBO super-bantamweight title in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The 33-year-old Filipino floored the Mexican twice in the fourth but was swollen, bleeding and hurt from the fifth round until the end. At times late in the fight, he was in trouble.

But Donaire fought with pride and went toe-to-toe with the 24-year-old Juarez in the closing rounds even when he could have opted to run away and still get away with the win.

Donaire, his left eye swelling and right eye bleeding from a cut, also slipped and twisted an ankle. In the end, he looked like a boxer who just fought 24 rounds.

The crowd inside the Roberto Clemente Stadium got what they came for – a brutal fight and a late but strong candidate for Fight of the Year honors.

Donaire won on all three scorecards, 117-109, 116-110, 116-110.

A picture that posted on the Internet showed Donaire after the decision, in tears or on the verge, raising his right hand and once more proclaiming himself as world champion.

Donaire, born in Talibon in Bohol but grew up in General Santos City and studied in the same school as Filipino icon Manny Pacquiao, improved to 36-3 with 23 knockouts.

Juarez, the underdog, rallied and fought like a wounded tiger but fell short in the end. He dropped to 17-4 with 14 knockouts.

Donaire had won world titles as a flyweight, light-flyweight (interim), bantamweight, super-bantamweight and featherweight.

He travelled to Puerto Rico to reclaim the 122 lb title which he won in 2012, when he won the Fighter of the Year honors, and lost to Guillermo Rigondeaux in 2013.

“I think that was the toughest fight I’ve ever been in in my life. It was an amazing fight,” Donaire told ESPN.com.

“The guy was amazing. The guy was strong. I give it to him,” added the Filipino, now based in Las Vegas with his wife and two young kids.

Donaire said Juarez deserves a rematch.

“I will definitely give him a rematch. I’m not taking anything away from him,” Donaire said.

“It was a hard, tremendous fight. We’re both warriors,” said Juarez, who pinned Donaire on the ropes late in the fight and landed punches that could have dropped the Filipino.

Under attack, Donaire countered and slipped in some good punches to convince the judges that he’s not letting the fight slip away.

In the fourth round, Juarez took a solid right from Donaire and went down for the first time, and swallowed left for the second knockdown.

The crowd of over 8,000 waited for the knockout from Donaire and it never came.

Instead, they witnessed a potential Fight of the Year.