Nonito Donaire to be back in the ring in March or April

By Boxing News - 12/26/2012 - Comments

donaire12By Chris Williams: WBO super bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire (31-1, 20 KO’s) says he’ll be fighting in March or April of 2013 against an opponent still to be determined. Donaire recently beat a past his prime Jorge Arce by a 3rd round knockout on December 15th of this month in Houston, Texas.

Donaire recently said that he’d like to fight either WBC champion Abner Mares or WBA champ Guillermo Rigondeaux. However, few boxing fans believe Donaire’s promoters at Top Rank will match him against either guy, because they’re good enough to beat him and it’s unlikely that they’ll want to take a risk with Donaire right now, especially with #1 Top Rank fighter Manny Pacquiao getting knocked out recently.

Donaire said to the Manilastandardtoday.com “I expect to fight around March or April, so let’s see what they [Top Rank] come up with.”

I wish it would be Rigondeaux or Mares, but I don’t think it will. ESPN writer Dan Rafael has his doubts as well about Donaire fighting Rigondeaux. It’s easy fight to make because Donaire and Rigondeaux bot fight for Top Rank, but for some reason they just aren’t matching Donaire up with him.

We’re seeing Donaire instead fighting shot guys like Arce and Toshiaki Nishioka, and flawed fighters like Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. and Jeffrey Mathebuala. If Top Rank still doesn’t match Donaire up against Mares or Rigondeaux in March or April, then you have to figure that they’re ducking him so that Donaire doesn’t get beaten.

Donaire is in the running for the 2012 Fighter of the Year award for his wins over Arce, Nishioka, Vazquez Jr. and Mathebula.

I don’t see Donaire ever facing Rigondeaux or Mares. It’ll likely be someone like Crisjian Mijares, because Donaire’s promoter Bob Arum likes to match Donaire up against Mexican fighters because of the large amount of Mexican fans that are in the U.S area that he can count on the watch the fight. Mijares is beatable and not someone likely to beat him like Mares or Rigondeaux.



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