Nonito Donaire became the new world featherweight champion on Saturday after defeating South Africa’s Simpiwe Vetyeka in Macau in a fight that saw the Philippine boxing star take victory after an anti-climactic technical decision.
The bout was stopped after four rounds due to an “accidental headbutt” that left 31-year-old Donaire’s left eye swollen and cut. According to the rules of the WBA, if such a stoppage happens after four rounds, the match goes to the scorecards.
A trio of judges scored 49-46 for Donaire.
The fight had started off slow, but Donaire floored his opponent in the second round with a right hook. Another left hook connected in the fourth round, knocking Vetyeka down again and sending the crowd wild.
However, Donaire said that he was disappointed about the way the fight ended.
“It’s disappointing that things ended the way it did and hopefully we can do it again, “ he said at a press conference after the match.
“When I got headbutted I was really out of it, I didn’t know what the hell was going on,” he said.
“There was nothing else that I could do, I was at the biggest disadvantage,” he said, adding that blood and medicine kept getting into his eye. “I wanted to keep going, but my dad kept saying: You’re at a disadvantage, you’re bleeding like crazy.”
“The Filipino Flash” improved his record to 33-2 with 21 knockouts a match after he bounced back from a loss to Cuban Guillermo Rigondeaux in April last year. He knocked out Armenian southpaw Vic Darchinyan in November last year.
He was working with his once-estranged father, Nonito Snr, who was head trainer for the fight. Vetyeka fell to 26-3 with 16 knockouts.
“I’m so disappointed about how the fight ended, and I don’t know what to say, I am just disappointed,” Vetyeka said.
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