Madison Square Boredom: Donaire Blanks Narvaez Over Twelve

MSG – WaMu Theater, New York, New York– When one of the sport’s most exciting fighters tells his corner between rounds, “I’m bored,” you know someone, somewhere goofed up in the matchmaking process.

On the surface, Argentina’s Omar Narvaez (35-1-2, 19 KOs) seemed like a perfect trophy knockout for the mega-talented WBO/WBC bantamweight titlist, Nonito Donaire (27-1, 18 KOs). At 36 years of age and coming in as the much smaller fighter, Narvaez was being set up for a Fernando Montiel-esque shellacking at the hands of “The Filipino Flash.” However, this was assuming that the Argentine Olympic hero would actually come to fight, to win, or at the very least, to be competitive.

Instead, what the matchmakers at Top Rank found out was that Narvaez only came to cash a check and, worst of all for those in attendance or watching on HBO, clearly had the skill and focus to go the distance.

The bout, itself, was fought at a similar pace throughout, with Donaire firing shots that were picked off by a mega-defensive Narvaez. Donaire was accumulating points on the judges’ scorecards, but not exactly providing “Must See TV.” The optimists in the viewing audience hoped that the challenger was merely feeling the champ out and setting him up for something down the road. As the rounds passed, though, it became obvious that there was no strategy behind Narvaez’s defense and that the only real goal was survival.

So, with the fans in attendance chanting, “This is bull shit” in the final round, the bout ended and the scores were read: 120-108 all the way around. The Boxing Tribune scored the bout 119-109, also for Donaire.

On the off-TV undercard, Miguel Angel “Mikey” Garcia (27-0, 23 KOs) stopped journeyman, Juan Carlos Martinez (19-13-1, 7 KOs) via TKO in the fourth round of their scheduled ten.

Follow us on our new Facebook Fan Page…Click “Like” to follow the source of Boxing’s True Independent Voice.