CARSON, Calif. (AP) — Nonito Donaire added the IBF 122-pound title to his WBO belt with a unanimous decision over South Africa’s Jeffrey Mathebula on Saturday night, earning his 28th consecutive victory in a unification bout.
Former middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik also earned a comfortable unanimous decision over Will Rosinsky at the Home Depot Center south of Los Angeles.
Donaire (29-1, 18 KOs), the four-division champion born in the Philippines and raised in California’s Bay Area, landed bigger shots throughout the bout. He knocked down Mathebula with a vicious left hook in the fourth round, but Mathebula used his 4 1/2-inch height advantage and a tremendous work rate to keep the bout competitive.
The Filipino Flash finished with a strong 12th round, winning comfortably on all three judges’ scorecards.
