By Nick Bellafatto
When former junior featherweight champion Toshiaki Nishioka (34-9-3, 24 KO’s) fighting out of Tokyo, Japan enters the ring this weekend at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California to face pound-for-pound prizefighter and IBF/WBO champion Nonito “The Filipino” Flash Donaire (29-1, 18 KO’s) of San Mateo, California, he will be just that, a former champion.
Having been stripped of his championship belt by the WBC subsequent to six successful title defenses as a result of Toshiaki’s stated inability to defend that distinction for a stretch, he is nevertheless ranked number 1 in the division by Ring Magazine so that Nonito Donaire has yet another opportunity to make a statement once the bell rings this Saturday night on HBO.
And in what could be deemed an irony of sorts, Donaire is ranked by the same above ratings authority, Ring Magazine, at number 3 underneath Nishioka at 122 pounds while simultaneously listing the Filipino prizefighter at number 5 in the world, an odd circumstance to be sure considering Toshiaki is nowhere to be found in the top ten.
Of course this weekends contest will no doubt dispel some or all of the discrepancies in relation to each fighter’s status as apparently someone feels that Donaire has not yet fully proven himself in a division he recently came upon only two fights ago. And in those two fights Nonito would impressively win major world titles in each, with an opportunity to garner a third in the form of the vacant WBC Diamond belt come this Saturday .
This latest accolade, pulled out of thin air by the sanctioning body in question, will in victory potentially put either fighter in position to face the winner between Abner Mares and Anselmo Moreno, two combatants who will vie for the full WBC 122 pound title on November 10th at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
This in and of itself is a further irony being that Abner Mares would be positioned for, and then later obtain Nishioka’s formerly held WBC junior featherweight title [a title which Toshiaki never lost in the ring] by defeating Eric Morel, irregardless that Mares had not fought in this weight class before.
Nevertheless, should Donaire emerge victorious as I surmise will be the case, he will no doubt take another step in the direction of sewing up the division unto himself as perhaps the undisputed champion, provided a few other pieces fall in place. But first thing’s first and that’s taking care of Toshiaki Nishioka, against whom Nonito is not only risking his own titles, but his pound-for-pound status as well.
And should the Japanese fighter find a way to win, a man who hasn’t fought in slightly over a year, then surely the outcome will change the 122 pound landscape a bit, perhaps adding more parity to at least the top half of a division within which some were of the opinion Donaire would predominate. With interesting potential match ups amongst and between fighters the likes of Guillermo Rigondeaux, Abner Mares, Anselmo Moreno, as well as that of Nishioka and Donaire themselves, the implications of this bout go a ways towards determining who will lock horns in the near future.
Getting back to the principles and what is likely to occur once the action commences this weekend, by all outward appearances the Filipino fighter is the more agile, and the more athletic in comparison to that of his Japanese counterpart, so that Nishioka will be up against a different animal in facing Donaire. Nonito is coming off a solid win over a much taller opponent in former IBF champion Jeffery Mathebula of South Africa so that he’s looking to continue his winning ways while Nishioka obviously has other plans.
And what does this most recent of Donaire’s victories signify? If anything it shows his versatility and ability to adapt under adverse conditions, a quality that will continue to serve him Saturday night as he appears to have an edge against the less mobile looking Nishioka. But if anyone knows what he’s up against so as to prepare accordingly, it’s an astute Toshiaki Nishioka who’s been ringside for several of Nonito’s most recent bouts, patiently waiting for an opportunity to up end one of boxing’s elite.
And it’s perhaps Toshiaki’s careful observance of his upcoming foe that has prompted Nonito to conclude that this fight may come down to “who has the best strategy.” Does Nishioka have a winning formula? We shall see. Toshiaki will no doubt have to be at his best considering Donaire is the more fluid fighter who will not oblige the Tokyo resident by standing in front him as have several of his past opponents.
Style wise Nishioka is a high and tight type fighter who is somewhat versatile but prefers to come straight down the middle wherein which he is quite effective against cooperating opponents who’ll stand in and trade. This allows Toshiaki to counter with his left hand, a primary concern of Donaire’s. And if by chance Nonito does choose to stand in front of his opponent from time to time, it’s more than likely due to the Filipino discovering he can out-maneuver or out-quick his adversary, with a emphasis placed on positioning himself to land his vaunted left hook.
Of course Nishioka is well aware of that particular blow. The question is, can he avoid or offset it? Sometimes the true mark of a champion is that even though his opponent knows what to expect, he can’t stop the inevitable. Again we shall see what transpires in what appears to be a tactical fight where Donaire will look to avoid Toshiaki’s left hand counter, while vice versa Nishioka will look to avoid becoming victimized by Nonito’s weapon of choice.
From my perspective Donaire’s overall athleticism will carry the day. He has simply and consistently demonstrated an ability outmaneuver opponents and administer blows from various angles, blows that are hard to pick up or defend against. And recently adding in sprints to his training regimen will add a sharpness not present a few fights ago so that when things heat up, Donaire will be able to markedly separate himself as a result of superior footwork.
And in relation to what may give Nishioka a boost or added advantage, that being the all important right hook, the Japanese fighter simply fails to use, and/or underutilizes this most effective and often times decisive blow hurled by the southpaw. The lack of it is quite crucial in that orthodox opponents are rarely able to determine its whereabouts so that maximum effect is attained. In finality this is a solid match up as well as one that has huge implications for both fighters so that there is sure to be some drama along the way.
Rios collides with Alvarado
As intriguing a contest as the main event between Nishioka and Donaire appears to be, they may have a tough act to follow considering the co-main event will feature Oxnard, California brawler Brandon “Bam Bam” Rios (30-0-1, 22 KO’s) taking on equally undefeated Denver, Colorado resident Mike “Mile High” Alvarado (33-0, 23 KO’s) in what everyone expects to be nothing less than all out combat in this WBO title eliminator.
In one corner you have former lightweight champion Brandon Rios who will be moving up to junior welterweight for the first time after not making weight and looking quite sluggish most recently, decisively losing to Richard Abril only to be unjustly awarded a favorable decision.
Furthermore as regards the bout involving the Cuban Abril, Richard in victory would have been able to claim the WBA lightweight title, initially left vacant due to Rios one fight previous surrendering that title on the scale in his match up with the UK’s John Murray. This despite the fact that “Bam Bam” would perform much better to score a late kayo against the British fighter.
With Brandon then coming in over the limit for the second time in a row against Abril, the WBA belt would yet again remain unclaimed by virtue of a foul decision gone the way of Rios.
And in referring to his fight with Murray, “Bam Bam” Rios as in all of his endeavors to date has no hidden agenda. The Oxnard fighter from the opening bell onwards is on a seek and destroy mission, intent on walking down his opponent to inflict as much damage as possible in an effort to either incapacitate or render his foe unconscious. He simply leaves it all in the ring come what may.
The only problem for Rios is that come what may is Mike Alvardo. Mike, an outright warrior himself as well as the bigger man, similarly wades in with guard high and tight to do battle, having been successful on thirty-three occasions previous against the slightly better competition. And whereas Rios only knows one way to fight, Alvarado has demonstrated another dimension.
Not only is “Mile High” able to box behind an underrated jab which could prove decisive, but he has shown flashes of footwork that will enable him to give Rios angles when fighting in the trenches. It’s these two facets of Alvarado’s game that will enable him to gain the upper hand and decisively defeat Rios if he chooses to mix them in, with the key word being chooses.
In other words, there’s the suspicion that “Bam Bam” Rios may force such a fight so as to cause Alvarado to abandon any such plans to vary his attack. We shall see, but from what I gather Mike Alvarado is looking to make the task of defeating Brandon Rios less difficult by first working behind a stiff jab to throw off his opponents timing, rhythm, etc., to then pick and choose spots to launch his heavy artillery, to at this juncture give the fans what they expected.
I do estimate that Rios will look much stronger in moving up to 140 pounds, but it remains to be seen how that will play out against the Denver fighter who can bang just as well if not better, or use his legs and box. For not only do these attributes cause me to favor “Mile High” Mike here, but additionally he’s the frontrunner by virtue of his tendency to follow his corner’s instructions as opposed to that of Rios, who much of the time walks in on opponents without the use of a jab or head movement, tactics suggested by trainer Robert Garcia that often fall on deaf ears.
Although determined to no end, Brandon Rios is limited by way of being one dimensional, while if any liabilities exist on the part of Alvarado it’s that he’s often the recipient of blows between the gloves, either straight shots or uppercuts, one of “Bam Bam’s” primary weapons which he’ll look to land. Irregardless, my best guess is that at the end of the day the victor will be the fighter who brings the most more often while demonstrating a solid set of whiskers.
Again I’m going with Alvarado not only because I agree with his own assessment that he can do more than just slug it out, but if it does come down to a straight shootout the Denver native is able to do the subtle things on the inside that will prove to be advantageous. Speculation aside, Rios-Alvarado, Donaire-Nishioka are two bouts worth watching as savagery meets science on October 13th on HBO’s Boxing After Dark [BAD] from Carson, California’s Home Depot Center, 10PM ET/PT. Don’t’ miss out.
