Saturday, July 26, 2008

Bio of Nonito "The Filipino Flash" Donaire Jr.

Nonito Donaire

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search
Nonito Donaire

Statistics
Real name Nonito Donaire Jr.
Nickname(s) The Filipino Flash
Rated at Flyweight
Height 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Nationality Flag of the Philippines Filipino
Flag of the United States American citizen
Birth date November 16, 1982 (1982-11-16) (age 25)
Birth place Talibon, Bohol, Philippines
Stance Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights 20
Wins 19
Wins by KO 12
Losses 1
Draws 0

Nonito Donaire Jr. (IPA: [dɒ'niː'rɛ]), nicknamed The Filipino Flash[1] because of his speed and reflexes (born on November 16, 1982), is a Filipino boxer and the current IBF and IBO world champion in the flyweight category. Born in Talibon, Bohol, raised in General Santos City in the Philippines, he resides in San Leandro, California. Donaire is trained by his father Nonito Sr. and his cornermen are his cousins Arvin and Brian Jugarap. Some people don't know how to pronounce Donaire's last name. Because of this, they mispronounce it as (IPA: [do'naːr]). In reality, it's pronounced (IPA: [dɒ'niː'rɛ]).

Contents

[hide]

[edit] Amateur career

Nonito won three national amateur tournaments. The National Silver Gloves in 1998, National Junior Olympics in 1999, and the National USA Tournament in 2000. Donaire also won the International Junior Olympics in 1999.[2]

Donaire made it to the finals of the US Olympic Trials in 2000. However, he lost to a fellow Filipino American, Brian Viloria who eventually became former WBC world light flyweight champion, in a controversial decision .[citation needed]

Nonito is very proud to be a Filipino boxer and has worn the Philippine flag on his trunks for his entire career.[citation needed] He wears red boxing trunks, which symbolizes war and aggressiveness, in contrast to the trunks his older brother Glenn wears, which is blue to represent the other half of the Philippine flag.

Nonito Donaire's amateur record was 68-8 with 5 TKO's.[citation needed]

[edit] Professional career

Donaire turned pro in 2001 and lost his second fight. "That was the only guy Rosendo Sanchez I was not able to knock down," Nonito remarked as he followed up, "It was a close fight that I thought I won, but it could have gone either way."[citation needed]

September 9, 2002, Nonito Donaire won his first regional title by defeating Kaichon Sor Vorapin for the vacant WBO Asia Pacific flyweight title in Guam. Donaire knocked out the future world title challenger in the second round. "I took that fight on short notice and basically so I could afford to go home," Nonito recalled about the encounter, "I knew I wasn’t in the best shape that fight and that I couldn’t go the full twelve so I tried to take him out early and he couldn’t take my punches."[3]

January 20, 2006, Nonito won his second regional title, the NABF super flyweight title, by defeating Kahren Harutyunyan on Shobox by split decision. The scores were 97-92 twice for Donaire and 95-94 for Harutyunan. [4]

October 7, 2006, Donaire added the NABO super flyweight title and successfully defended it against veteran Oscar Andrade by the scores of 118-109 and 116-112 twice. His older brother, Glenn Donaire, fought and lost to Vic Darchinyan on the same night.

Donaire won the IBF flyweight title with a 5th round knockout of undefeated southpaw Vic Darchinyan on July 7, 2007.[5]This victory was awarded Ring Magazine's "Knockout of the Year" and "Upset of the Year" on December 23, 2007.[6][7][8]

Since his victory of Darchinyan, he has tried to challenge the remaining title holders in his division. Specifically Daisuke Naito, the WBC title holder, and Takefumi Sakata, who holds the WBA title. However, Japan's boxing commission only recognizes the WBA and WBC as legitimate world titles and does not at all acknowledge the IBF or the WBO thus making such match ups impossible for Donaire.

On July 31, 2007 Donaire met Philippines President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo along with Florante Condes, who won the WBO minimumweight title on the same weekend as Donaire. Donaire said the experience was “an overwhelming feeling. It was indescribable. The moment I walked up the stairs and she was up there and when I looked it was a moment when I couldn’t even look at her face. It was a great honor.”[9]

On December 1, 2007, Donaire defended his title against Luis Maldonado of Mexico by technical knockout in the 8th round in his first title defense to keep his IBF flyweight crown. Donaire stated: "I guess my validation was today but I didn't feel my best; I felt sluggish. I didn't have my legs. I don't know what the problem was. I couldn't move well so I tried to rely on my upper body movement." [10]

On February 16, 2008, Manila, Philippines, Donaire received the Philippine Sports Award for 2007 Athlete of the Year, alongside amateur swimmer Miguel Molina. Amongst the list of nominees were Manny Pacquiao, Ronnie Alcano, Wesley So, and Frankie Minoza.

[edit] Boxing championships and accomplishments

Titles

[edit] Private life

On January 22, 2008, Nonito Donaire, Jr., 25, Wednesday proposed marriage and sang Jason Mraz’s "I’m Yours" to girlfriend Rachel Marcial, 25, Fil-Am taekwondo jin at the Makisig studios, Quezon City. Marcial replied "of course" and they kissed before the TV cameras. Both announced plans for civil and church wedding after the Dubai April 4 title defense. Marcial's (elder of 2 girls) parents Gerry and Becky are both taekwondo belters. Marcial won gold in the 1999 Milo Nationals, as finweight, and the silver medal at the 2002 World Military Championships.[11]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Preceded by
Vic Darchinyan
IBF flyweight champion
July 7, 2007present
Incumbent

No comments:

Post a Comment