Jessie Magdaleno upsets Nonito Donaire, wins junior featherweight belt

— -- LAS VEGAS -- In a hard-hitting and highly entertaining fight, Jessie Magdaleno upset Nonito Donaire by unanimous decision to win a junior featherweight world title on the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao-Jessie Vargas welterweight title fight on Saturday night at the Thomas & Mack Center.

Magdaleno, the mandatory challenger, had never faced a quality opponent and never been past eight rounds, but he outworked Donaire en route to decision on scores of 118-110, 116-112 and 116-112.

ESPN had Donaire winning 115-113, and many at ringside had it even.

But the judges went with the aggressive Magdaleno, who put in good work, especially early in the early rounds.

"It feels great to be a champion," said Magdaleno, after his first fight with trainer Manny Robles Jr. "I can't believe this right now. I have worked so hard for this. I can't believe I beat a fighter like Donaire. I don't have words to describe it."

Donaire opened a cut over Magdaleno's left eye on an accidental head butt in the fourth round. Magdaleno continually dabbed at the eye afterward. Donaire's face was also showing wear, as he had a swollen lump under his left eye.

Magdaleno's best weapon was his right hand, which he landed a lot, while Donaire lunged with his tight and had a hard time connecting cleanly.

Magdaleno (24-0, 17 KOs), a 24-year-old southpaw from Las Vegas, had a huge ninth round, as he backed Donaire into the ropes with a flurry in the final minute and worked him over. Magdaleno landed several unanswered punches, including some hard right hands and a big left as the round wore down.

But Donaire (37-4, 24 KOs), 33, a Philippines native based in Las Vegas, came out strong in the 10th round and hurt Magdaleno early with a right hand, causing the Filipino-heavy crowd to erupt into chants of "Nonito! Nonito!" Donaire closed the 11th round with a booming right hand.

Donaire, who has won world titles in four weight divisions (five, if you include interim belts) and was making the second defense of his second junior featherweight title reign, closed strongly. He landed a right hand that seemed to stun a tiring Magdaleno in the final minute of the fight and struck with several more powerful right hands as the crowd went wild.

Donaire was stunned by the scorecards.

"I definitely won the fight," said Donaire, who was in his first with trainer Ismael Salas. "I thought I got control in the second half of the fight. Losing never crossed my mind. This is unbelievable."

Salas agreed.

"We got control of the fight in the second half and clearly won the fight," the trainer said.

According to CompuBox punch statistics, Magdaleno landed 154 of 500 punches (32 percent) and Donaire connected on 132 of 404 (33 percent).

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