MetroPCS Friday Night Knockout on truTV saved the best for last in its year-end finale of the live boxing series, on Friday night, with career-best performances from the boxing gem of Puerto Rico and undefeated world-rated lightweight contender Felix “El Diamante” Verdejo, and five-division world champion and 2012 Fighter of the Year Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire. Both headlined, in separate title bouts, an outstanding event which was televised live from Roberto Clemente Coliseum in San Juan, P.R.
Presented by truTV and Top Rank and produced in association with HBO Sports, Donaire (36-3, 23 KOs), from General Santos City, Philippines, reclaimed the World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior featherweight world title with a gritty and bloody 12-round unanimous decision over No. 1 contender Cesar Juarez (17-4, 13 KOs), of Mexico City, in what everyone is proclaiming as the Fight of the Year.
Verdejo (19-0, 14 KOs), of San Juan, P.R., made his homecoming defense of his WBO Latino lightweight title a rousing success, scoring a one-punch second round knockout of Josenilson Dos Santos (25-4, 15 KOs), of Sao Paulo, Brasil.
