Anthony J. Causi
Guillermo Rigondeaux lands a punch against Nonito Donaire during their title bout at Radio City Music Hall Saturday.
He may have been considered the underdog despite having over 400 amateur fights and two Olympic gold medals to his name, but that did not stop Guillermo Rigondeaux from proving he belonged in the professional ranks last night.
Rigondeaux, who had just eleven professional bouts under his belt, stunned the boxing world by ending Nonito Donaire's 30 fight unbeaten streak by winning on unanimous decision and unifying the WBO and WBA Super Bantamweight titles.
"I told you I was going to do my job and I did it," Rigondeaux said. "I made him look bad and I looked great."
The two fighters spent the majority of the first round feeling out one another, but Rigondeaux (12-0, 8 KOs) landed several statement punches, including a left hook that staggered Donaire for the first time in the fight.
While Donaire's speed and power were trumpeted throughout the weeks leading into the fight, Rigondeaux was prepared whereas Donaire (31-2, 20 KOs) was not.
"I didn't do my job and change up during the fight," Donaire said. "I never studied film and I should have."
The Cuban-born fighter seemed to have a parry for every big hook that Donaire threw and was able to counter the majority of Donaire's attacks in the fight's early rounds and spent the majority of the time waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
"You saw it, [I was] boxing, moving, frustrating him," Rigondeaux said. "I was like a Matador."
The two fighters finally unleashed late in the fourth round, with Donaire landing a punishing left hook, turning what started out as a game of chess in the ring to an all-out slugfest. Donaire and Rigondeaux traded several big hooks before the bell sent each fighter back to their corners.
Following that flurry, there was very little offense from either fighter, with Donaire repeatedly missing with big hooks and Rigondeaux spending more time ducking and weaving than throwing punches, sending the sellout crowd at Radio City Music Hall into a chorus of boos.
When Rigondeaux did throw punches, he found some success, even landing a glancing power punch on Donaire in the sixth.
Donaire finally started to land power punches in the eighth and ninth rounds, catching Rigondeaux with lefts on several different occasions and winning back-to-back rounds, including his first on The Post's scorecard.
Donaire landed just 23 percent of his punches (82-of-352), including 31 percent of his power punches. Donaire was outboxed across the board by Rigondeaux.
"He's an excellent fighter," Rigondeaux said. "But you cannot win a fight with one punch."
The tenth round provided the fight's first two knockdowns. Donaire, possibly sensing he was behind on points, stormed out of his corner, landing a left and then getting tangled with Rigondeaux, sending the latter to the mat. Seconds later Donaire would land another devastating left, putting down Rigondeaux again. Rigondeaux popped up immediately as the crowd erupted.
After an uneventful eleventh, Rigondeaux dominated the twelveth, landing a punch early on that forced Donaire to protect his right eye, which was nearly swollen shut. Seeing Donaire was wounded and smelling blood, Rigondeaux went on the offensive, relentlessly attacking Donaire and sealing the win.
"In the last two rounds I got stupid," Donaire said. "I got carried away, I wanted to take him on so bad."
While he had over 400 fights, two Olympic gold medals and an unbeaten record coming into the fight, many viewed Rigondeaux as the underdog due to his lack of professional experience. Rigondeaux only started fighting professionally after defecting from Cuba in 2009.
Rigondeaux even had to fight to get the match with Donaire in the first place. Donaire was skeptical about fighting Rigondeaux at first. The 30-year-old native of the Philippines originally wanted to fight against Abner Mares but the latter moved up to the 126-pound weight class meaning either Donaire would have to move up as well or pick a different opponent.
Boxing historians will remember that this is not the first time a fighter primarily known in the amateur ranks defeated a more decorated champion. In 1978, Leon Spinks, who had just seven professional fights under his belt, defeated Muhammad Ali for the world heavyweight championship.
The fight was just the second in the history of Radio City Music Hall, with the first coming 13 years ago when Roy Jones Jr. retained his light heavyweight title against David Telesco.
***
Of the New York-area boxers on the card, only Charlie Monaghan was able to walk out victorious in his hometown. Monaghan (17-0, 11 KOs) won on a first round knockout against Rex Stanley two fights prior to the Donaire-Rigondeaux main event. Daniel Sostre (11-9-1, 4 KOs) and Dario Soccia (2-1, 0 KOs) lost via knockout and split decision, respectively.
asulla-heffinger@nypost.com
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