By Joaquin Henson The Philippine Star

Bucking a slight fracture in his left hand, Nonito Donaire, Jr. went beyond the call of duty and pounded out a split 12-round decision over Puerto Rico’s Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. to capture the vacant WBO superbantamweight crown at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, last Saturday night (yesterday morning, Manila).

Donaire, 29, couldn’t recall what round he hurt his hand, speculating it was anywhere between the second and fourth but shrugged off the pain to score the win over Vazquez who was cheered on by a predominantly Hispanic crowd.

By Nelson Beltran (The Philippine Star)

Prolific rookie Marcio Lassiter is on his way to Petron Blaze if persistent reports are true.

No official from both Powerade and Petron Blaze has come out to make an official announcement, but reports said the two teams have reached an agreement for a trade sending Lassiter to the Boosters camp in exchange for Noy Baclao and Rey Guevarra.

By Reynaldo Belen, InterAKTV

Rajko Toroman won’t be the coach of the national team, but he isn’t saying goodbye to Philippine basketball just yet.

The Serbian coach flew to the country at the height of the Philippine Cup finals to meet with Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Manuel V. Pangilinan, who chairs the company that bankrolls the SMART-Gilas Pilipinas national program, for which Toroman called the shots for three years.

By ABS-CBNnews.com

Five-time Trainer of the Year Freddie Roach is hoping that Puerto Rican boxer Miguel Cotto can pull off an upset when he faces undefeated boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. on May 5 in Las Vegas.

Roach had hoped that Cotto would accept a rematch against his fighter, Filipino boxing icon Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao, but Cotto instead chose to fight Mayweather.

By ABS-CBNnews.com

The family of new World Boxing Organization (WBO) super bantamweight champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire is disappointed with the boxer despite the success he has achieved in the sport.

In General Santos City, Donaire’s grandparents watched his bout against Wilfredo Vazquez Jr., but they did not celebrate when he was named the winner via split decision.

By ABS-CBNnews.com

Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire won the World Boxing Organization (WBO) super bantamweight title after defeating Pueto Rican fighter Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. via split decision Saturday at the Alamadome in San Antonio, Texas (Sunday morning in Manila).

Two judges gave the fight to Donaire, 117-110 and 117-110, while the other judge gave the bout to Vazquez, 115-112.

By JVP, GMA News

Nonito Donaire Jr. and Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. haven't met officially inside the ring but the Puerto Rican boxer has already courted trouble.

The Filipino Flash, aside from aiming to win the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) super-bantamweight title, also wants to shut up the brash-talking Puerto Rican when they cross paths Saturday night (Sunday afternoon, Manila time).

By Lee Jimenez, InterAKTV

Now it appears that it would be very difficult to stage a mouth-watering showdown between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather.

It’s not because Mayweather has opted to face Miguel Cotto on May 5 and Pacquiao looks headed toward a June 9 clash with Timothy Bradley.

By Jaemark Tordecilla, InterAKTV

Powerade Tigers superstar Gary David has heard rumors about the possible sale of the franchise, but he remains unperturbed.

“Hindi ko na iniisip yun,” said David, who led the Tigers to a Cinderella run in the recently-concluded Philippine Cup, where he was named Best Player of the Conference. “Ma-di-distract lang ako ‘pag inisip ko yun.”