Donaire-Narvaez bout to renew Philippines-Argentina boxing rivalry

Argentina has a 5-2 edge over the Philippines in world title fights.

This weekend at the Theater inside Madison Square Garden in New York City, Filipino Nonito Donaire aims to chalk up another win for the Philippines when he meets dangerous challenger Omar Narvaez in a defense of Donaire’s world bantamweight titles.

The storied Philippines-Argentina rivalry dates back to 1956 when world flyweight king Pascual Perez traveled to Manila and defended against Leo Espinosa at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

Perez defeated Espinosa on points.

Two years later, Perez would meet another Filipino, toy bulldog Dommy Ursua, who he beat also on points.

The Philippines would not avenge the setbacks until 1966 when Flash Elorde, then the world junior-lightweight king, out pointed Vicente Derado at the Araneta Coliseum.

It was not until the 1990s when the rivalry was rekindled when Juan Martin Coggi dethroned Filipino-American Morris East as WBA junior-welterweight king in their brawl in Mar Del Plata, Argentina, in January 1993.

A little over a year later at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Filipino Armand Picar was brutally disposed of by the tough-looking Julio Cesar Vasquez for the WBA junior-middleweight diadem in less than two rounds.

But Luisito Espinosa, then the WBC feather boss, faced Carlos Rios in Koronadal, South Cotabato, and went on to win by sixth-round stoppage.

But Argentina retaliated once again when Narvaez toppled Rexon Flores some years back in Argentina.

Ringsiders believe that this weekend, the Philippines will bounce back with a huge win by Donaire.

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