DODONG Donaire, the trainer/father of Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire, predicted that his son’s title defense against former featherweight champion Evgeny Gradovich will be a “great fight.”
The fight will headline a Top Rank card, which will be staged in cooperation with ABS-CBN and the leading promotional outfit Ala Promotions, headed by its president Michael Aldeguer.
According to ABS-CBN sports consultant Peter Musgni, the fight card will take place at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on April 23, which will be two weeks after the Manny Pacquiao fight at the MGM Grand on April 9, most likely against WBO welterweight champion Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley.
Arum informed The Standard/boxingmirror.com that a reported bout between Gradovich and Jesus Galicia scheduled in Valencia, Spain on Jan. 9 as listed on boxrec.com, won’t push through.
“Gradovich has no power, but he keeps throwing punches. We will study his style. Nonito has to stay in shape,” said Dodong Donaire, who indicated his preference to train his son in Cebu.
He said Fredrick Bowen, who was one of two sparring partners of Nonito when he prepared for the title fight against Juan Mexico’s Cesar Juarez, will be tapped to help in his son’s training because his “style is just like Gradovich. He throws a lot of punches but has no power.”
He said that Nonito was handicapped by an ear infection during preparation for the Juarez fight and was forced to do a lot of sparring, instead of running, but that “hopefully this time, he can do more roadwork.”