The Philippine Online Chronicles

Filipino boxer Nonito "The Flash" Donaire (25-1-2, 17 KOs) knocked out Ukrainian fighter Volodymyr Sidorenko and bagged the World Boxing Association (WBA) bantamweight title at the Honda Center, Anaheim, California.

The Bohol-born Donaire beat Sidorenko (22-3-2, 7 KOs) a former Olympic medalist, in the 4^th round through a total knockout (TKO). Sidorenko went down three times. “Donaire came out with hard power shots in the first round that were hitting Sidorenko flush. In the closing moments of the first round, a hard combo sent Sidorenko down hard,’ Boxingscene.com posted.

Donaire's victory booked him a title fight against World Boxing Council champ Mexican boxer Fernando Montiel, Agence France Presse reported.

According to Fightfan.com, the Donaire-Sidorenko match headlined Top Rank Promotions' "In Harm’s Way" pay-per-view card after Julio Caesar Chavez Jr. backed out from his bout with Pawel Wolak due to flu-like symptoms. Other card matches featured José Pinzón vs. Pawel Wolak (light middleweight bout); Humberto Soto vs Urbano Antillon (lightweight bout); Miguel Angel Garcia vs. Olivier Lontchi (featherweight bout); Joe Hanks vs. Hector Ferreyro (heavyweight bout) and Rodrigo García vs. Rodrigo Villarreal (Welterweight bout).

The Donaire-Montiel showdown is scheduled on February 19, 2011.