DONAIRE SEEKS 4TH TITLE VS. VAZQUEZ ON SUNDAY
FILIPINO-AMERICAN boxing star Nonito Donaire Jr. aims for his fourth world title Saturday (Sunday in Manila) against former world champ Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. for the World Boxing Organization super bantamweight (122 pounds) title at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
The 29-year-old Donaire (27-1, with 18 knockouts) appears headed on that same path of stringing world titles as he moves up in weight like his more illustrious compatriot, Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao, the only fighter to win eight world titles in as many weight categories. In a previous interview with this writer, Donaire demurred being compared with Pacquiao or being labeled “the next Manny Pacquiao,” saying Pacman is in a class of his own, a tough act to follow. “You know what, there’s only one Manny Pacquiao and we may never see someone like him again,” Donaire said. Ranked No. 4 in Ring Magazine’s poundfor-pound Top 10 boxers in the world, Donaire world titles at flyweight, super flyweight and bantamweight and is heavily favored to win his fourth at 122 pounds. If he gets past the Vazquez, Donaire hopes to do something that not even Pacquiao has achieved: to unify the different alphabet championship belts. Bob Arum, chief executive of Top Rank Promotions, promised his new Pinoy boxing star immediate title unification matches, including a possible major championship to be staged in Manila in May or June. Robert Garcia, Donaire’s head trainer, said his prized Filam boxer wants to stay at 122 pounds because he is more comfortable at that weight. “Nonito wanted to unify the titles at bantamweight, but the other belt-holders were avoiding him, so we decided to move up to super bantam,” Garcia said. “I can see that he is quite comfortable at 122 pounds, so we’ll see if the other champions are willing to step up and fight him.” With Donaire’s improved drawing power, World Boxing Council super bantam titlist Toshiaki Nishioka of Japan and World Boxing Association champ Guillermo Rigondeaux of Cuba have called the Filipino Flash for their next fight. Born in Talibon town in Bohol on Nov. 16, 1982, Donaire was raised by his parents Imelda and Nonito Sr. in General Santos City in South Cotabato, where he went to the same public school as the iconic Pacquiao. The Donaire-vazquez title match is the co-main event of a doubleheader that also features the title defense of unbeaten World Boxing Council middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. vs Marco Antonio Rubio that will be aired live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 10 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Pacific Time. Donaire said he expects to see the best of Vazquez, but he feels confident going up in weight because of a great training camp in which his trainer Garcia made him spar with lightweights. A savvy counterpuncher with knockout power in both hands, Donaire has not lost a fight in nine years. His 26-bout winning streak includes a fourth-round knockout victory over then undefeated Vic Darchinyan, International Boxing Federation flyweight champion; and a fourth-round blasting of former World Boxing Association bantamweight champion Wladimir Sidorenko on Dec. 4, 2010. Donaire’s most impressive victory was his second round knockout on Feb. 19 of Fernando Montiel, holder of the WBC and WBO bantamweight titles. That dominant win over Montiel snapped the Mexican fighter’s 25-bout winning streak and earned the 2011 Knockout of the Year for Donaire. The son of former three- division Puerto Rican champion Wildfedo Vazquez, the young Vazquez (21-1-1, 18 KOS) strung together a four-year, 21-bout unbeaten streak, culminating with Vazquez winning the WBO super bantamweight championship. Vazquez captured the world title in 2010, knocking out Filipino Marvin Sonsona in the fourth round. He successfully defended the title twice during the following eight months, scoring knockouts of Zsolt Bedak and Ivan Hernandez in the 10th and 11th rounds, respectively. After losing the title to Jorge Arce in May by technical knockout in the 12th round, he bounced back in October with a thirdround knockout of Roberto Leyva.