Boxing | International

Nonito Donaire © Action Images

Broken hand can't stop Nonito



Nonito Donaire beat Wilfredo Vazquez by split decision to win the WBO junior featherweight title in San Antonio, Texas, on Saturday night.

The new champion, who was born in the Philippines, controlled the bout despite breaking his left hand somewhere between the second and fourth round before a crowd of 14 120.

Donaire improved his record to 28-1 in his first fight at junior featherweight.

He won 117-110 on two scorecards and somehow lost 115-112 on the card of the third judge.

After winning world titles in the flyweight, super-flyweight and bantamweight divisions, Donaire proved just as powerful in moving up to junior featherweight.

Vasquez, who dropped to 21-2-1, went down in the ninth. He was staggered by a left uppercut before being dropped by a overhand left.

Vasquez rose quickly, smiling as the referee came over to give him a standing eight-count.

Donaire also stunned Vazquez in the third with a left uppercut to the right temple.



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