Since his star-making knockout of Vic Darchinyan in 2007, Nonito Donaire has spent much of his time fighting mediocre opponents, feuding with his father (invoking Jericho Rosales in the process), and dabbling in show business that fans almost forget just how talented he really is.

Yesterday, against Wladimir Sidorenko, Donaire finally stepped into the ring with an opponent worthy of his talent. The Ukrainian, a former world bantamweight champion, was by all accounts a very dangerous opponent, of a caliber Donaire hasn’t faced since the Darchinyan fight. A victory for Donaire would mean a much-awaited – and much more lucrative – showdown against Fernando Montiel.

Donaire was making his debut at bantamweight (118 lbs.), and moving up meant that he didn’t have to starve himself to make the weight. The Donaire that showed up in the ring, however, was still a very hungry man – that is, hungry for all the opportunities that have been denied to him for the last few years. You could see it in him while he battered Sidorenko from pillar to post.

(Bang!) Donaire stuns his opponent with a blazing combination. You seriously couldn’t find me better opponents, Bob Arum? (Wham!) Donaire lands a straight right that sends Sidorenko to the canvas. That was for you Montiel, and Darchinyan, and everyone else who’ve been ducking me. (Oomph!) A dynamite left hook, like the one that knocked Darchinyan out, sends the Ukrainian down once more. Hey dad, and all you haters, do you still think I’ve gotten soft? (Pow-wow!) A nice left-right combination ends Sidorenko’s night. Celebrity Duets voters, did you really think Joel Cruz and Akihiro f’n Sato was a better singer? A 4th round knockout for the Filipino Flash.

It was a stunning display of Donaire’s talent: knockout power in both hands, great height and length, masterful ring control, great use of the jab, pinpoint counterpunching. His talent has tantalized boxing observers so much that he’s had several cameos in their top ten pound-for-pound lists in spite of having fought inferior competition over the past couple of years, and it seems like he’s finally about to make good on his promise.

And it’s about damn time. He deserves it too, because what he’s done in the ring only hints at the great heights he could still scale. But more than that, I want to root for him not just because he’s Filipino, but he seems like a really good guy, he’s very articulate and well-spoken, and he seems like he’s got a good head on his shoulders. Last year, after the death of former president Corazon Aquino, he dedicated his fight to Cory and even wore yellow gear to the ring, to commiserate not just with the Aquino family but with the whole Filipino people. That’s something we rarely ever get to see in any of our athletes: empathy.