Donaire eyes world title today
Five-division world champion Nonito Donaire Jr. is aching to redeem lost opportunities, both personally and professionally, when he takes on Mexican Cesar Juarez today at the Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The 33-year-old Donaire (35-3, 23 knockouts) will battle Juarez in a 12round bout for the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) super bantamweight crown.
Entering today’s championship match, Donaire has lost two of his last three world title bouts, dropping a 12round split verdict to Cuban Guillermo Rigondeaux in 2013 then lost via 6th round TKO to Nicholas Walters of Jamaica October of last year.
In between those losses, Donaire defeated South African Simpiwe Vetyeka via 5th round technical decision to grab the WBA featherweight belt which he later surrendered to Walters.
“I was searching left and right, far and wide. I won’t let go of boxing bejoin cause I know I can still be the best,” said Donaire “Everything was about being grateful and fulfilled. That each day is a beautiful day when you can walk into the gym and tell yourself you got to train hard again.”
Reuniting with his father-trainer Nonito Sr., is being considered by Donaire as a major step in trying to put his life as a boxer and a family man in order.
After almost five years of being estranged, the Donaires, through the efforts of the boxer’s wife Rachel, reunited and came together to settle their differences.
“With my Dad, he’s created my style. Pretty much the only person who can change me back to who I was,” said Donaire. “That’s why it was so easy for me to go back into using my head all over again because that’s something that me and my Dad had worked on.”
A near-death experience of Rachel, Donaire revealed, was perhaps the eye opener that made him truly focus on his boxing career.
Rachel lost consciousness and bled profusely while delivering their second child, Jarel Logan just last April. Rachel and her child eventually survived the ordeal where she lost around two liters of blood.
“It was a part of a series of events. I felt everything that I had was being taken away from me. At that time, I realized I took things for granted,” said Donaire.
For this particular training camp which was held mostly in San Leandro and in Las Vegas, Donaire assured he gave his all and felt good most of the time, knowing how important his upcoming fight will be.