CAMERON Dunkin, the manager of former five-division world champion Nonito Donaire, has confirmed that No. 4-ranked Zsolt Bedak has agreed to the terms set by Top Rank for his title fight against the super bantamweight champion “Filipino Flash” at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on April 9.
“I talked to the guy and we’ll get the contracts out, but they have agreed to take the fight. We are gonna go forward,” Dunkin told The Standard.
Donaire and his family have been on vacation at the beautiful El Nido resort in Palawan and are expected to return to Manila on Monday and start preparations for his training camp.
Bedak was a former member of the Hungarian Olympic team to the 2004 Athens Olympics, where he scored an impressive victory over Abner Mares, who later became a world champion in the pro ranks.
He reportedly fights very much like Dunkin’s original choice Evgeny Gradovich, who eventually declined to face Donaire because the former featherweight world champion was having problems coming down to the 122-pound limit.
In his tune-up fight in Valencia, Spain, Gradovich tipped the scale at 128 pounds and had a hard time against Mexican journeyman Jesus Galicia, before winning a majority decision.
Rather than face Donaire, Gradovich has decided to take a 10-round featherweight bout against unbeaten Oscar Valdez (18-0, 16 KOs) on the undercard of the welterweight title fight between eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao and welterweight champion Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley at the MGM Grand on April 9.
He said he didn’t know anything about Bedak yet, adding he would study tapes of his fights with his trainer/father Dodong Donaire when he begins training in Las Vegas after the Philippine Sportswriters Association Annual Awards night on Feb. 13, when he, the longest-reigning Filipino champion Donnie “Ahas” Nietes, the WBO light flyweight king, and young golfer Miguel Tabuena will receive the “Athlete of the Year” awards.
“I am very honored and very thankful for the award. I accept the award with pride. They will see more of me in the years ahead,” Donaire said.