Pacquiao has surgery, faces lawsuits and ... maybe, Mayweather again

In the press conference after the Mayweather fight, Manny Pacquio
revealed the injury to his right shoulder.

FILIPINO fighter Manny Pacquiao had an operation May 6 to fix a torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder. The prognosis is that the surgery went well and he would be ready to fight again in nine months or a year.

Floyd Mayweather has a fight coming up in September and vowed to retire if he was to keep his record a perfect 49-0 to match boxing legend Rocky Marciano. However, he kept his option open for a rematch with Pacquiao to actually exceed the Marciano record.

UPDATE: Mayweather closes the door for a rematch, calls Manny a sore loser

On another front, Pacquiao is being sued by some of his fans who bet heavily for the fighter in his historic match with Mayweather. The fight last weekend raised the richest purse ever for a boxing match and certainly was one of the most heavily anticipated but it was far from the "fight of the century" that boxing fans had expected.

The fight showed a slow and plodding Pacquiao who looked like a shadow of his former self. After the fight, Pacquiao's camp revealed that the boxer fought with a shoulder injured during training.

Pacquiao did not properly disclose his injury to the Nevada State Athletic Commission, which could fine and suspend him for allegedly lying on his prefight medical questionnaire. 

Had Pacquiao disclosed the injury when it happened, about 2½ weeks before the fight, the commission doctor would have worked with Pacquiao's team on a treatment plan and likely would have allowed him to receive an anti-inflammatory shot on fight night. But because the commission said it did not know about Pacquiao's injury until a couple of hours before the bout, it denied his request for the shot.

In Los Angeles, Dr. Neal ElAttrache, a famed orthopedic surgeon who performed similar surgeries on Kobe Bryant and Tom Brady, said he could not be "more pleased with the results." It was a 90-minute outpatient surgery, so Pacquiao did not stay overnight.

Don't count out Nonito "the Filipino Flash" Donaire

Nonito Donaire, right, makes short work of William Prado.

A FEW months ago people were saying that Nonito Donaire was all washed up. 

Two rounds. That's all it took for Donaire to score a TKO over William Prado of Brazil in a title fight in Manila last March 28. Two rounds!

In the Super-Bantam weight class, Donaire fought at a more comfortable weight than his previous bout with undefeated Jamaican Nicholas Walters where he was outboxed and outclassed last November by his opponent for the featherweight title (126 lbs) of the World Boxing Association.

With the roaring partisan crowd cheering him on, the comeback fight was totally one-sided as Donaire sought to redeem himself. Prado, considered a second-tier fighter, was totally out of his  league. 

The 32-year old Donaire's must-win victory will likely earn him a top one or two ranking at 122 lbs for the WBC, where unbeaten champion Leo Santa Cruz reigns.

"That's something that we're gonna go after," said Donaire. (Cruz) "is a great fighter but with proper preparation, I do believe that's something we can overcome."

Donaire proved to the boxing world that he still deserves to be considered a contender, but most of all, he proved it to himself.

After the fight, in a more contemplative mood, Donaire said, “Being in here is not all about being world champion once again. It is inspiring others out there. Inspiring little kids to work hard and be better. From somebody who was put down. From somebody who hit rock bottom."

RELATED: "I am Filipino," - Donaire

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Nonito Donaire Jr.: "I am Filipino!"

NONITO DONAIRE Jr. (AKA The Filipno Flash) is a champion boxer based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Next to Manny Pacquiao, he is probably the best known contemporary Filipino pugilist, holding multiple crowns in various weight divisions.

Like many men who have taken up the sport professionally, he's full of self-confidence to the point of being overconfident. He's brash, outspoken and proud to be a Filipino. The commercial for Cobra Energy Drink combines his confidence and pride to send a powerful positive message about being Filipino (its implied that comes with drinking Cobra, of course.)

Forget the drink, when I first saw the commercial, my reaction was "Oh, yeah!!!" It is one of the most positive and powerful messages about being Filipino that I've seen. Warrior, Perseverance, Power, Against all odds. Good stuff.

He has a fight this coming Saturday against up-and-coming fighter Nicholas Walters, a powerful puncher who hasn't been defeated in his 24-fight career. The fight in Carson, Calif. is for the featherweight WBA crown.

Donaire, at 31, may be on the downside of his spectacular career. Since he lost to Guillermo Rigondeaux, Donaire hasn't been the same. However, the "Flash" is no slouch either sporting a 33-2 record with 21 KOs.

It's a big fight for Walters to legitimize his quest for a world championship. The stakes are just as high for Donaire to regain the respect of the fight world but more importantly, to regain his swagger.

UPDATE: Nonito Donaire lost to Nicholas Walter by TKO in the 6th round. Donaire was overmatched by size, weight and reach. He should stay in the lower weight divisions.

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