FIVE-DIVISION world champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire said he is honored to be on the Nov. 5 card at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas headlined by eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao, who will face WBO welterweight champion Jessie Vargas.
Speaking for her husband, who is currently in San Diego attending a leadership seminar, Rachel Donaire told the Manila Standard: “Fighting on a Pacquiao card has always been something he has wanted to do because it will give him (Nonito) a chance to show his support for what Manny has done to open the door for Filipinos.”
Rachel described the card as one which will highlight the Philippine-Mexican rivalry since Donaire is slated to fight Jessie Magdaleno in defense of his WBO super bantamweight title, while Pacquiao will battle Vargas, in what she described as “a power card.”
Rachel indicated that the fight card taking place in Las Vegas “is an added bonus,” pointing out that ever since Donaire fought Fernando Montiel, it will be his “first chance to fight before Filipino hometown friends, who haven’t seen him for a long time.”
She said they attend all the Filipino affairs in Las Vegas and they derive energy from their relationship with the Filipino families in Las Vegas.
Rachel said that her husband will be back from San Diego on Friday evening, suggested that the Manila Standard call back then since he would have already spoken to the Cuban trainer he is eyeing to replace his father/trainer Dodong Donaire, who said he didn’t want to live in Las Vegas and wanted to be with is family in San Franciso, where he has his gym.