Donaire returns to the ring

Donaire returns to the ring
Mark E. Ortega
Martinez News-Gazette
November 7, 2013


San Leandro, Calif., boxer Nonito Donaire returns to the ring on Saturday in a new weight division, but will look across the ring at a familiar foe while doing so.

Donaire (31-2, 20 knockouts) is coming off an April defeat to Guillermo Rigondeaux, his first loss in almost a decade. Donaire was dealing with a slew of personal matters, including his wife Rachel being pregnant with their first child, who was born a few months ago.

Now refocused, Donaire will face Vic Darchinyan (39-5-1, 28 KOs) in a 126-pound fight that will be part of a triple header televised by HBO. These two last met in July of 2007, where the five-to-one underdog Donaire knocked out Darchinyan in the fifth round with a wicked check hook. That victory launched Donaire, who won 13 straight across four weight divisions prior to the loss to Rigondeaux.

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The Genesis of King Kong

The Genesis of King Kong

Mark E. Ortega

Ultimateboxingresults.com

May 3, 2009

When July 11th rolls around, a bantamweight title tilt is set to take place when Ghanaian Joseph King Kong Agbeko [26-1, 22 KOs] defends his IBF 118-pound belt against two-division champion moving up in weight Vic Darchinyan. The bout is a Showtime Championship Boxing headlining-bout that is sure to provide a ton of fireworks, just in case you were longing for more following the previous weekend’s display of pyrotechnics courtesy of the Fourth of July. Read about this fight anywhere else and you might think that Darchinyan, who is the widely-considered favorite, already has the belt around his waist even though it is Agbeko who is champion.

Agbeko, along with manager Vinny Scolpino (whom also manages fellow Ghanaian world champion, Joshua Clottey) do not seem too fazed by this reaction and seem to welcome it gladly.