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FILIPINO
world flyweight champion Nonito Donaire Jr. has eyes
only for world-class fighters.
After
his successful first title defense, Donaire, 25, wants
to face any of his cochampions or battle any of the
titleholders above his current 112-lb kingdom.
“That’s
what boxing is [about]. I want to fight the best
fighters. There were people who said I was a one-punch
wonder after [Vic] Darchinyan, but I came in there and
did my thing. I guess my validation [has come]. I’m here
to stay,” Donaire told ESPN.
REFEREE Ferdinand Estrella
instructs AJ Banal to head to the neutral corner after
decking Jovanny Soto in the ninth round Sunday.
Meanwhile, Boom-Boom Bautista’s hand is raised by former
Pres. Joseph Estrada who was at the Araneta Coliseum to
watch the Payback card.
--NONOY LACZA
Donaire
(19-1 with 12 knockouts) is calling out anyone among
World Boxing Organization (WBO) holder Omar Narvaez of
Mexico, World Boxing Association (WBA) flyweight
champion Takefumi Sakata, and WBC ruler Daisuke Naito to
a unification bout anytime.
“I want
to fight all the best fighters,” Donaire said. “Like my
promoter [Gary Shaw] said, I’m ready to fight anybody
from 112 pounds to 118. I’ll take them all down.”
Donaire-Darchinyan II?
Also an
option for Donaire is a rematch with the brassy
Darchinyan.
“I’d
love to fight Darchinyan again,” Donaire said.
Donaire
completely outclassed Mexican challenger Luis Maldonado
of Mexico inside eight rounds the other day at the
Foxwoods Resort and Casino in Connecticut.
Donaire
battered his challenger with a good number of left hooks
and right straights. One more vicious left uppercut
forced referee Dave Dwyer to finally call a halt to the
brutal assault at 1:16 of the 8th round.
Though
it was considered by many as a sterling performance by
Donaire, the newest sensation to come out of the
Philippines admitted that he had some problems with his
right hand and with his movements, particularly his
footwork.
“I
couldn’t get myself going. I just felt slow I couldn’t
move. I didn’t have my legs. If I had my legs, it would
have been an easier fight,” said Donaire.
Donaire
revealed that a nagging problem about the way his hands
are being wrapped happened during the Maldonado fight.
“It
hurts from the first round but it’s nothing new,”
Donaire said. “It was really hurting but I just kept
saying, ‘You got to do it. You got to go forward.’”
Donaire
and his father/trainer Nonito Sr. trained for about a
month at the ALA Boxing Gym in Cebu where he sparred
with RP flyweight champion Rocky Fuentes, flyweight
contender Louie Bantigue and RP bantamweight boss
Michael Domingo.
“I was
135, 140 lbs when I started training a month ago. I
needed more time. I can make the weight but next time,
if I get two months to train, it will be easier,” added
Donaire.
Banal
ready for prime time?
FOR
having a splendid winning run at a young age, AJ
“Bazooka” Banal has probably seen the end of his weaning
age.
In an
interview with the BusinessMirror, Banal’s manager Tony
Aldeguer said he is now contemplating in making his ward
a main eventer possibly for his next fight.
“He’s
already ripe to be the headliner after his win
yesterday,” said Aldeguer.
The
18-year-old Banal is coming off an impressive
ninth-round technical knockout win over Mexican Jovanny
“Bambino” Soto the other day at the Araneta Coliseum.
Banal,
who now parades a record of 16-0-1 with 13 KOs, has
fought all of his bouts beneath cards starred by his
more established stablemates Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista,
Czar Amonsot and Z Gorres.
Banal
fights under the world-renowned ALA Boxing Gym owned by
Aldeguer.
The
sweatshop in Cebu has produced several world champions
and international campaigners namely two-division world
champion Gerry Peñalosa, ex-flyweight champion Malcolm
Tuñacao, among others.
Banal’s
win over Soto served as the supporting bout of the
“Payback” boxing card topbilled by Bautista who also
scored a unanimous decision win over another Mexican
Antonio “Barrio” Meza in a 12-round WBO intercontinental
super-bantamweight championship match.
“Kung
ano’ng plano ng manager ko susundin ko lang.
Bawat laban naman ay pinaghahandaan ko ng husto,”
said Banal when asked about the prospect of headlining a
major card.
Third
Force Promotions president Noli Eala said they are
planning to pit Banal against world super-flyweight
champion Fernando Montiel of Mexico late next year.
“We’re
interested in promoting that, maybe after two or three
more tune-up fights for Banal,” said Eala in a radio
interview.
Montiel
is the longtime WBO super-flyweight ruler whose reign
would have ended February of this year if not for a bum
scoring and officiating in his first trip to Philippine
soil.
Montiel
escaped with a controversial 12-round split draw against
Gorres as referee Sammy Viruet immediately deducted a
point from the Filipino challenger for holding without
giving an appropriate warning. What compounded the
controversy was the decision of two of the three judges
to score two rounds for Montiel which Gorres clearly
won.
Eala’s
fledgling outfit promoted Sunday morning’s successful
international promotion that featured three regional
title bouts. The TV telecast of the said promotion
reportedly topped the afternoon ratings.
Eala’s
group and Aldeguer, however, are so far only good up to
Sunday’s card as no long-term deal is involved in their
partnership. Eala said Third Force is also open to any
boxer with potentials who are not under the ALA banner.
Aldeguer
disclosed that there are suggestions for Banal to again
fight beneath a major event, this time involving Gorres
who will battle former world flyweight champion Vic
Darchinyan of Australia in a 12-round world
super-flyweight title eliminator on February 2.
“Negotiations are still ongoing but I think Gorres is
capable of headlining this card even without Banal,”
said Aldeguer “Right now the plan is to stage the
Gorres-Darchinyan bout in
Cebu.”
Aldeguer
added that they are scouring world ratings of different
organizations to tap a highly rated Mexican fighter for
Banal. A possibility is to tap former three-time world
title challenger Jose Navarro.
Navarro
is coming off a close verdict loss to Russian Dimitri
Kirilov in a 12-round battle for the vacant
International Boxing Federation (IBF) superflyweight
belt held on October in
Russia.
“It’s
almost definite Banal will be the main event for his
next fight next year and we will do that in Cebu,” said
Aldeguer
“Not
unless of course an offer from the US under a major
world-title event is offered to us.” |
