NEWLY crowned Wold Boxing Organization super bantamweight champion Nonito “The Filipino” Flash Donaire is hoping his next title defense will be in Manila so he can repay the fans, who have supported him especially after his gallant performance against Cesar Juarez of Mexico to win the WBO super bantamweight title for the second time.
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum indicated Donaire will defend his title sometime in late April, most likely to be against Evgeny Gradovich, the former featherweight champion nicknamed the “Russian-Mexican.”
Donaire, who arrived early Thursday morning from Los Angeles with wife Rachel and their two sons, said they plan to stay in the country until February, but if the title defense in Manila pushes through, he will stay and train in the country until then.
Donaire said Gradovich has been calling him out and although they are friends and he was a sparring partner when he prepared for the Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. title fight, it’s all business and nothing personal.
“Gradovich is like Cesar Juarez. He keeps coming forward and throws a lot of punches even when retreating,” said Donaire, who conceded that he doesn’t have too much power.
Donaire said he will fight anybody they put in front of him. “I’m ready to train, ready to go.”
The WBO super bantamweight champion a second time around praised wife Rachel for his change in attitude and habits and his father/trainer Dodong Donaire for “doing an amazing job,” both during training and during the fight itself, but admitted he couldn’t implement all his instructions in-between rounds because of “the freak accident,” when he was accidentally tripped by Puerto Rican referee, Pena.
He said there were times during the fight when he nailed Juarez with thunderous punches to the b ody and head and he seemingly fell unconscious for a second but then just as suddenly woke up making Nonito wonder how he did it.
Donaire was happy to have redeemed his reputation with the brutal “Fight of the Year’ candidate and welcomed the tremendous response he has received f or his remarkable performance against a fighter of the caliber of Juarez.