Vic Darchinyan was unable to get revenge, but he placed some doubts in the heard of Nonito Donaire at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas. Darchinyan fought at a measured pace, hit Donaire with numerous hard punches and before he was stopped in the ninth round - he was up on two scorecards 78-74, with the judge having it a draw. The loss drops Darchinyan's record to 39-6-1. Donaire, who knocked Darchinyan out in five rounds in 2007, improved to 32-2 with 21 knockouts.

Donaire bounced back from a loss to Guillermo Rigondeaux in April, but he admits that Darchinyan's hard punches placed some doubts in head as the fight was playing out.

"When he hit me in my cheek, I felt like he broke my cheek," Donaire said. "Part of my mind was like, 'Is this it for me? I'm losing the fight. Should I keep going?' I put my heart into it. I said, 'You know what, I will never, ever quit.'"