Donaire beats Vazquez by split decision

Nonito Donaire took a spit decision against Wilfredo Vazquez of Puerto Rico to win the WBO junior featherweight title Saturday at the Alamodome.

Philippines-born Donaire (28-1), making his debut in the weight class, won 117-110 on two scorecards and lost 115-112. He controlled the bout despite breaking his left hand somewhere between the second and fourth rounds before a crowd of 14,120.

After capturing world titles in the flyweight, super flyweight and bantamweight divisions, Donaire proved just as powerful in moving up to junior featherweight.

Vasquez (21-2-1) went down in the ninth, staggered by a left uppercut before being dropped by a left overhand. Vasquez rose quickly, smiling as the referee came over to give him a standing eight-count.

Donaire also stunned Vazquez in the third with a left-handed uppercut to the right temple.