By Ronnie Nathanielsz

The trainer/father of five division world champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire –‘Dodong” Donaire  believes that Prince Albert Pagara who suffered his first defeat in a crushing 8th round knockout at the hands of rugged Mexican Cesar Juarez before a sell-out crowd at the San Mateo Events Center on Saturday, “will bounce back.”

Donaire who had cautioned the previously unbeaten Prince Albert not to stand in front of Juarez and trade punches told The Standard that “if he stuck to the game plan to jab and move he would have won the fight.”

But the young Pagara made the mistake of standing in front of Juarez and trying to trade punches after scoring a knockdown with a classic left hook in the dying seconds of the opening round.

“Dodong” said Pagara “is still young” (he’s 24 years old) and has a long time to recover from that first setback in his career.

Nonito Donire who joined Dyan Castillejo on the ABS-CBN TV panel said he felt exhaustion was the cause of Pagara’s defeat.

When the fight was stopped the official scorecards showed Pagara ahead on the cards of two judges while the third judge had it a 66-66 draw after seven rounds.

Susan Gitlin had Pagara ahead 68-64, Michael Tate 67-65 but Kermit Bayless who gave rounds 4,5,6 and 7 to Juarez had it an even 66-66.