Nonito Donaire: Nicholas Walters 'Was Just Too Big For Me' [Watch Knockout Video]
Nonito Donaire did not anticipate a knockout blow from Nicholas Walters during the sixth round of their fight last Saturday.
The Filipino Flash had to pay the price of missing a left hand from his opponent near the end of the sixth round. Sky Sports said that Walters landed a punch on Donaire's ear that slumped the latter on the canvas with him being unable to stand up immediately. Referee Raul Caiz Jr. decided that Donaire was not in the perfect condition to continue the fight anymore, giving the KO win to Walters.
But a day after the fight, Donaire seemed to have accepted this turn in his career, saying that he still feels blessed despite losing to Walters.
"I have fought the best and never ducked anyone and in doing so sometimes the outcome is not what I want. God saved me last night. I would have died by the sword last night. I would have kept getting up and if I stayed in that fight til the 12th I could have gotten brain damage. Walters was just too big for me. If I got past Walters I would have fought with Salido at 130lbs and really gotten hurt," Donaire said in a post on his Facebook page.
Donaire explained that Walters deserved his title and that he had no regrets. "I can honestly say I trained my best and I made alot of sacrifices this camp. I'm honored I lost to him in the fight we had. I hit him with everything I had and he just kept coming. Thanks to all my friends family and fan who believed in me and still believe in me. I love u all. God bless."
He added that he will take some time off to rebuild himself and come back stronger at a lower weight, ending speculations that he is already considering retirement.
A Rappler report explained that Donaire was at the prime of his career when he fought in the lighter divisions. He claimed knockout victories against Vic Darchinyan and Fernando Montiel, earning him the honor of Knockout of the Year. In 2012, he was also named as the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) Fighter of the Year, an award which was also earlier given to fellow Filipino boxer, Manny Pacquiao.
He, however, struggled when he moved to the featherweight division with an underwhelming performance in his win against Simpiwe Vetyeka earlier this year.
Donaire's comeback will surely be something to look forward to especially after that devastating knockout loss but his fans hope that this will not be the end of the Filipino Flash's career.
A separate Rappler article advised the boxer to start all over again and to "reestablish his image as a fighter to be feared."