FORMER five-division world champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire Jr. looked trim and ready at the official weigh-in for his World Boxing Organization super bantamweight title fight against No.1-ranked Cesar Juarez of Mexico at the Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan, Puerto Rico on Saturday.
His trainer/father Dodong Donaire on the other hand, said he is excited to see Nonito perform in the ring following the best training camp they ever had.
The elder Donaire told The Standard/boxingmirror.com after the weigh-in where Nonito tipped the scales at 121.8 pounds, which was rounded off to 122, the same as Juarez, that his son had no problem making the weight, and that “unlike before, he didn’t look emaciated” by losing an average of six pounds in one day before stepping on the scales.
“That’s because he is now disciplined, doesn’t eat red meat, but all vegetables and fruits,” the trainer/father said. “I’m just excited to see Nonoito show what he’s got in the ring. When he sparred, he showed a lot of improvement.”
Donaire sparred against Fidel Navarette and Fred Bowen, who Donaire Sr. said were “in-your-face boxers who never backed off.”
He also revealed that he had asked the Puerto Rican Commission to make sure they appoint Puerto Rican officials to ensure strict neutrality.
Donaire himself said there is no room for any more setbacks after his sixth-round TKO loss to Nicholas “Axe Man” Walters.
“I know what must be done. I must win,” said Donaire.
Donaire-Juarez on ABS-CBN
The fight promoted by Top Rank Boxing will be aired on ABS-CBN on Sunday, starting at 10 a.m.
Donaire looks to end his calendar year with another celebration and this time, a coronation for the eventual champion of the superbantamweight class. The Filipino Flash brings to the ring a 35-3 record spiked with 23 KOs while the 24-year-old pug from Mexico is toting a 17-3 card with 13 KOs.
The Pinoy boxing star is also coming off huge technical KO victories over William Prado of Brazil and Anthony Settoul of France in his comeback trail after dropping the title defense of his World Boxing Association featherweight belt to undefeated Jamaican, Nicholas Walters.
Fight fans can catch all the action on Sunday, starting 10 a.m. on ABS-CBN a replay at the ABS-CBN Sports + Action at 10 p.m.. Follow ABS-CBN Sports on their website sports.abs-cbn.com for more information. Catch it live on Skycable Pay Per View on Saturday at 10:30 a.m.