Donaire vs Arce in Manila

TOP RANK PLANS DONAIRE-ARCE SHOWDOWN IN MANILA

By Dong Secuya
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 12 Sep 2008

LAS VEGAS -- Filipino IBF/IBO Flyweight Champion Nonito Donaire, Jr. will face Mexican star Jorge 'Travieso' Arce in Manila if both Donaire and Arce hurdle their next assignments as planned by Bob Arum's Top Rank which promotes both Donaire and Arce, Donaire's father-trainer Nonito Sr. has informed PhilBoxing.com.

Arce challenges the dangerous WBA interim superfly champion Rafael 'El Torito' Concepcion of Panama on Mexican Independence Day Monday, Septermber 15, in Mexico City while Donaire will defend his flyweight crown against mandatory challenger Moruti Mthalane of South Africa scheduled on Nov. 1 at the Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino here.

A Donaire-Arce showdown is expected to be a blockbuster event between two charismatic champions.

Donaire, looking fit and trim during a 4-hour pictorial yesterday afternoon by ace Top Rank photographer Cris Farina at the Top Rank Gym here, also bared Bob Arum's big plans about his career who he said is grooming him to be the next Filipino boxing star next to Manny Pacquiao.

Donaire said that "if all goes well, he will eventually challenge WBA/WBC superfly champion Cristian Mijares... and I love that fight to happen."

Donaire also said he is ready to face Mthalane. "I've seen tapes of his fights and I'm prepared and ready to face him on Nov. 1."

Donaire, whose last fight was 10 months ago against Luis Maldonado at Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut where he won by 8th round TKO, had a series of cancelled fights since that culminated in his leaving his previous promoter Gary Shaw and signing with Bob Arum's Top Rank.


Filipino world champion Nonito Donaire, Jr. (L) receives a make-up from his wife Rachel while Top Rank photographer Cris Farina looks on during yesterday pictorial on Donaire at the Top Rank Gym in Las Vegas.

Bob Arum, who loves to float names and places for the upcoming fights of his boxers, however has yet to build a concrete date for Donaire whose original schedule was to fight in the undercard of cancelled Nov. 1 Margarito-Clottey fight at Honda Civic Center in Anaheim, CA. There were also apprehension by some quarters whether Donaire, at this point in time, could actually carry and headline a card at the world famous Mandalay Bay.

Donaire Training Really Har

DONAIRE TRAINING REALLY HARD

By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 06 Sep 2008



IBF flyweight champion Nonito "The Filipino Flash" Donaire says he’s "training really hard" for his title defense against mandatory challenger Moruti Mthalane of South Africa at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Californian California on November 1.

Donaire spoke to www.insidesports.ph, Manila Standard and Viva Sports after what he described as "a pretty good workout" adding that "today I feel like a beast. I am training really, really hard and feel really good" although he hasn’t started sparring as yet.

Both Nonito and his father/trainer Nonito Donaire Sr. put a premium on physical condition, skill and development of punching power rather than excessive sparring.

Donaire has been training for the past week at the Top Rank Gym where he said WBA featherweight champion Edwin Valero also trains.

Donaire referred to Mthalane as a "Dingo" because he’s like a wild dog and "keeps running and running and has all that stamina." He said stamina is one thing "we are trying to build up to be at par" with his opponent.

Donaire said "they know I got the power but in terms of stamina I want to be at that level or even higher."

The 25 year old Filipino who has a record of 19-1 with 12 knockouts said that he weighed 125 pounds Friday morning after his workout. Her noted that for his last fight which was his first title defense against Luis Maldonado which he won by an 8th round TKO on December 1, 2007, he had to come down from 140 pounds and that this time around his weight was much better in terms of control.

He said "I feel good, I’m eating a little bit, looking after myself well and maintaining my diet and my weight."

Mthalane who is handled by well-known international promoter Branco Milenkovic of South Africa is expected to be a tough opponent for Donaire. He is coming off a lopsided unanimous twelve round decision in an eliminator against Hussein Hussein of Australia whose title fight with Donaire in Dubai last April was called off.

Donaire who won the title via a sensational, one-punch knockout of cocky Australian Vic Darchinyan who went on to win the IBF super flyweight title beating Dimitri Kirilov, realizes he hasn’t fought for almost one year and that he’s got to shake off some ring rust. However this should be no problem for the talented and dedicated world champion.

3 Filipinos

Three Filipinos to figure in world-title fights

09/03/2008 | 06:35 PM

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MANILA, Philippines – Three more Filipino boxers will figure in world-title matches for the remainder of the year led by 2007 RP Athlete of the Year Nonito Donaire.

Donaire (19-1 win-loss record) puts his International Boxing Federation flyweight belt on the line when he faces Moruti Mthalane of South Africa on November 1 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.

It will be Donaire’s first fight since December 2007 when he defeated Luis Maldonado via eighth-round technical knockout in Connecticut. It was Donaire’s first title defense.

Mthalane, who comes in with a 22-1 win-loss slate, is in his first world-championship affair.

He defeated Hussein Hussein of Australia last July in a title eliminator which awarded Mthalane the world-title shot.

Donaire, who was voted by the Philippine Sportswriters Association as co-Athlete of the Year for 2007, is currently training at the Top Rank Gym with his father Nonito Sr.

“We’ve already seen some of the tapes of Mthalane," Donaire’s father told Philboxing.com Tuesday. “[Mthalane] is a very tough kid. He always comes to fight. We’re not taking him lightly."

Gerry Peñalosa vs. Abner Mares (World Boxing Organization bantamweight championship)

World bantamweight champion Gerry Peñalosa takes on a challenger 14 years his junior when he stakes his World Boxing Organization title against Abner Mares of Mexico reportedly as one of the undercards in the Manny Pacquiao-Oscar de la Hoya battle royale in December.

Peñalosa, 36, has agreed in principle to face Mares, 22, for Peñalosa’s second defense of his WBO throne.

Peñalosa (53-6-2 win-loss-draw) was supposed to be inside the ring on September 20 in a title defense set in Tubod, Lanao del Norte, but the handlers of Nestor Rocha, Peñalosa’s scheduled opponent, backed out reportedly because of the peace and order situation in Mindanao.

In his last fight, Mares, who is undefeated in 17 matches, won over fellow Mexican Jonathan Arias via 10-round unanimous decision last June in California.

Peñalosa’s last bout was in April when he TKO’d Ratanachai sor Vorapin of Thailand at the Araneta Coliseum. It was Peñalosa’s first defense of his WBO belt.

The other Filipino world champions besides Donaire and Peñalosa are Pacquiao (World Boxing Council lightweight champion) and Donnie Nietes (WBO minimumweight champion).

Sonny Boy Jaro vs. Edgar Sosa (World Boxing Council light-flyweight championship)

Sonny Boy Jaro debuts on the world-title stage on September 14 when he takes on World Boxing Council light-flyweight champion Edgar Sosa in Sosa’s hometown in Mexico City.

It’ll be a tough assignment for Jaro (28-6-5), who will face an opponent who hasn’t lost in five years.

The Jaro bout is Sosa’s sixth defense of the world championship he won in March 2007 against US-raised Filipino Brian Viloria.

In his last bout, Sosa defeated Takashi Kunishige last June via TKO in the eighth round. The match was also held in Sosa’s home country.

Jaro won a split decision over Along Denoy of Bohol last June in Puerto Princesa. That fight was for the vacant Orient and Pacific Boxing Federation light-flyweight throne.

Viloria is also scheduled for a mandatory IBF world-title appearance but Gary Gittlesohn, Viloria’s American manager, reportedly said the date and venue has not been finalized. – GMANews.TV

Donaire at Top Rank

DONAIRE TRAINING HARD AT TOP RANK GYM

By Salven L. Lagumbay
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 03 Sep 2008



IBF flyweight champion Nonito Donaire Jr is currently training at the Top Rank Gym in Las Vegas to prepare for his November 1 title defense against South African Moruti "Babyface" Mthalane at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.

In a long-distance interview yesterday, Donaire's father/trainer Nonito Sr. informed that his son will soon start sparring against fighters that manager Cameron Dunkin will fly in to help him prepare for the fight.

"Junjun (Donaire Jr) is going to spar soon. Cameron will be sending some fighters," said Donaire Sr.

The Arthro Kontra Arthritis-backed Donaire will be making the second defense of his IBF title against mandatory challenger Mthalane following his initial defense against Mexican Luis Maldonado last December.

The father-and-son tandem was originally slated to fly to Cebu to train at the ALA Gym for an October title defense in Macau, but decided to train in the US when the fight was moved to November 1 in California.

"We've already seen some of the tapes of Mthalane. He's a very tough kid. He always comes to fight. We're not taking him lightly," added Donaire Sr in an interview yesterday.

Donaire (19-1, 12 KO's) versus Mthalane (22-1, 15 KO's) will be in the undercard of the huge bout featuring the WBA/IBF welterweight showdown between Antonio Margarito against Joshua Clottey. Margarito is coming off a big win over Miguel Cotto.

Also set to see action in the card are Julio Cesar Chavez Jr and Vanes Martirosyan, two of Top Rank's bigger fighters.

Donaire Defends title vs S African

Donaire defends title vs S African
By Joaquin Henson
Thursday, August 28, 2008

After a series of failures to book a date, IBF flyweight champion Nonito Donaire Jr. finally sealed a deal to stake his crown against South African mandatory challenger Moruti (Babyface) Mthalane at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, on Nov. 1.

It took a purse bid conducted at the IBF headquarters in New Jersey to finalize Donaire’s second defense of the crown he won by knocking out Vic Darchinyan last year.

Top Rank, representing Donaire, won the rights to the fight with a bid of $334,000. Under the 75-25 sharing rule favoring the champion, Donaire will earn $250,500 and Mthalane, $84,000.

Mthalane’s promoter Branco Milenkovic tendered a bid of $286,500 of which Donaire would’ve received a lower $214,875.

There is a slim possibility that Mthalane will refuse to fight in Anaheim as he has never fought outside of South Africa. But if he backs out, Mthalane will lose his right as a mandatory challenger.

The fight will be in the undercard of a main event featuring the rematch between WBA/IBF welterweight titlist Antonio Margarito of Mexico and Joshua Clottey of Ghana. Two years ago, Margarito scored a unanimous 12-round decision over Clottey in Atlantic City. Since the loss, Clottey has won five in a row, including a convincing verdict over the late Diego Corrales who was decked twice. Margarito was sensational in his last outing, halting Miguel Cotto last July. “I’m ready for Mthalane whenever he is,” said Donaire. “I’ve worked so hard to get the championship belt to pass up the offer to defend it. No matter where the venue is, I won’t move up in weight until I defend the title at least once more.”

In his first defense last December, Donaire stopped Luis Maldonado in the eighth round in Connecticut.

Before the purse bid, Donaire said he didn’t care where they fight but preferred to stay away from South Africa.

“I would rather not fight in South Africa,” said Donaire. “As champion, I believe it should be at least neutral grounds. But I’m not letting this opportunity go by based on location. A fight is a fight and wherever they finally lay the grounds is where I’m defending my title.”

Donaire said he had absolute trust and confidence in Bob Arum that Top Rank would win the bid. Top Rank recently signed Donaire to a three-year contract, stipulating three fights a year.

Last Aug. 8, Donaire was married to US-born Filipina taekwondo champion Rachel Marcial in a private ceremony with 50 guests in Carmel. He took 10 days off to honeymoon then reported back to the gym last Aug. 18.

Donaire weighed about 118 pounds before the wedding. He said scaling down to 112 for the title defense won’t be a problem.

Donaire, 25, intimated plans of invading the superflyweight ranks and taking on the likes of Cristian Mijares, Fernando Montiel and Jorge Arce in big-money bouts next year. But disposing of Mthalane is his only priority at the moment.

Mthalane has compiled a 22-1 record, with 15 KOs, compared to Donaire’s 19-1, with 12 KOs. The South African holds a first round knockout win over Filipino Apol Suico and hasn’t lost since he was stopped by countryman Nkqubela Gwazela in a South African flyweight championship fight four years ago. Mthalane is unbeaten in his last nine assignments.

To earn the crack at the title, Mthalane decisioned Australian Hussein Hussein in an eliminator last July. The scorecards of 119-109, 118-110 and 118-110 indicated total domination by Mthalane.

Donaire will be severely tested by Mthalane who’s a slick boxer-puncher particularly as he will not have fought in close to a year when he finally battles the South African. In contrast, Mthalane has kept busy and won’t contend with ring rust.

But Donaire said he’s out to make an impression in what could be his final fight as a flyweight. He’s determined to prove his worth as Top Rank’s latest draftee. And of course, he’ll want to show off to his bride.