Nishioka to attend Donaire-Mathebula fight; hopes to face winner

By Boxing News - 07/04/2012 - Comments

Image: Nishioka to attend Donaire-Mathebula fight; hopes to face winnerBy Chris Williams: WBC Emeritus super bantamweight champion Toshiaki Nishioka (39-4-3, 24 KO’s) will reportedly be attending Saturday’s unification bout between IBF super bantamweight champion Jeffrey Mathebula (26-3-2, 14 KO’s) and WBO champ Nonito Donaire (28-1, 18 KO’s) with the hope of facing the winner later on in the year.

Nishioka, 35, figures that Donaire will come out on top in this fight, according to examiner.com, and he’d like to face him next.

If Donaire does face Nishioka next, this will obviously slow down any chance of Donaire facing super bantamweight champions Guillermo Rigondeaux and Abner Mares, who Donaire has talked recently of wanting to fight next. I never thought that Donaire would face either of these guys, so I wouldn’t be in the least surprised if he does take on Nishioka next because I see him as lesser threat. Some boxing fans believe that Nishioka is the best fighter in the division, but I’m not one of them.

I saw his last fight against a well past his best Rafael Marquez and Nishioka looked mediocre in that fight. I know Nishioka has some decent wins on his resume in the past with victories over Rendall Munroe and Jhonny Gonzalez, but he’s older now and those wins took place in a different time. Even if Nishioka was at his very best, I don’t see him hanging with the best fighters in the division like Rigondeaux or Mares.

Don’t be surprised if Donaire decides to face Nishioka next if he can get by Mathebula on Saturday. Donaire will likely then fight Nishioka followed by 32-year-old Jorge Arce and then whoever his promoter can dig up for him. Rigondeaux and Mares likely won’t be in the equation for Donaire.



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