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Philippines, 24 Apr 2024 |
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SPORTS SHORTS 29: NONITO DONAIRE AIMS FOR FIVE-DIVISION WORLD TITLES By Maloney L. Samaco PhilBoxing.com Tue, 19 Jan 2021  Future Hall of Famer Nonito Donaire is eyeing another feather in his cap as he shoots for more accolades in the last stages of his boxing career. He is set to battle WBC world bantamweight world title holder Nordine Oubaali, age 34 years of Lens, France, who was recently reinstated as champion. Oubaali (17-0, 12 KOs) of Moroccan descent was scheduled to defend his title against Donaire in December 12, 2020 but was tested positive of COVID-19 and had to withdraw from the fight. * * * “The Filipino Flash” Donaire (40-6, 26 KOs), age 38 years, from the Philippines now living in Las Vegas, aims to capture another title. But it is not only adding another title in his mind at this stage of his career as he is also aiming to become a five-division champion. "I still want to go back down to 115 and get a title there and then go up to 130. I can do that,” Donaire told Boxing Scene last year. * * * “When I was weighing in at the last fight with Inoue I was 117.5 but I had to drink a little bit of water because I was 116. So I don’t have a problem making that (115-pound) weight. I would want to stamp that fifth division,” he added. “The only reason I couldn’t get that before was because everybody was running away from me at 115 and I couldn’t get the title.” * * * Donaire, born in Talibon, Bohol, has held several world titles in four weight classes, that includes the IBF flyweight title from 2007 to 2009; the unified WBC and WBO bantamweight titles in 2011, the IBF super bantamweight title in 2012, the WBO super bantamweight title twice between 2012 and 2016, the WBA (Super) featherweight title in 2014, and the WBA (Super) bantamweight title from 2018 to 2019. * * * “It’s something I can do and something I want to do. After that I can say I am a five-division champion," said Donaire who must have sowed fear in the superflyweight (115-lb.) division with his gallant loss in the very impressive Fight of the Year with unbeaten Naoya Inoue of Japan in the World Boxing Super Series bantamweight finals. * * * The super flyweight division is full of talented hard-hitting fighters, which include WBA champion Nicaragua's Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez (49–2, 41 KOs), WBC champion Mexico's Juan Francisco Estrada (40–3, 27 KOs), IBF champion Philippines' Jerwin Ancajas (32–1–2, 22 KOs), WBO champion Japan's Kazuto Ioka (25–2, 14 KOs). "I think that would be a great fight with Roman,” Donaire said. * * * WBO welterweight champion Terence Crawford (37-0, 28 KOs) destroyed former IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook (39-3, 27 KOs), by fourth-round technical knockout on November 14, 2020 at MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas. Bob Arum unexpectedly criticized Crawford publicly following the fight with Brook. The Hall of Fame promoter stated that he would not want to continue losing cash on Crawford’s fights and blamed the 33-year-old Crawford for failing to help make himself into a bigger star. Crawford told Boxing Scene before he defeated Brook that he was uncertain if he would fight again for Top Rank before his contract expires later this year. * * * Things are going on smoothly for the defending NBA champions Los Angeles Lakers as they went on an 11-3 start, ranking first in defensive efficiency and fifth in offensive efficiency. Kyle Kuzma talked about the Lakers establishing dynasties. "We're trying to get to that plateau and peak to continue to win championships," Kuzma said. He emphasized that LeBron James can provide some experience and the new guys in the team will have to follow. "A tough, lofty goal, but I think that's what we all put out to do," as quoted by Dave McMenamin of ESPN. * * * Filipino - American Jordan Clarkson is an early contender for the Sixth Man of the Year. He averaged 20.8 points with a 64.7 true shooting percentage during the streak of the Utah Jazz winning its past five games, matching the Lakers for the league's longest active winning streak. Clarkson was born in Tampa, Florida to Michael Alan "Mike" Clarkson, a U.S. citizen of African American heritage, and Annette Tullao, whose mother, Marcelina Tullao was from Bacolor, Pampanga. * * * There were traditionally eight weight divisions in boxing. More divisions were added, and professional governing bodies currently recognize a total of 17 weight classes which were established by the major boxing organizations in 2015. The upper limits of these classes are as follows: minimumweight, 105 pounds (48 kg) light flyweight, 108 pounds (49 kg) flyweight, 112 pounds (51 kg) super flyweight, 115 pounds (52 kg) bantamweight, 118 pounds (53.5 kg) super bantamweight, 122 pounds (55 kg) featherweight, 126 pounds (57 kg) super featherweight, 130 pounds (59 kg) lightweight, 135 pounds (61 kg) super lightweight, 140 pounds (63.5 kg) welterweight, 147 pounds (67 kg) super welterweight, 154 pounds (70 kg) middleweight, 160 pounds (72.5 kg) super middleweight, 168 pounds (76 kg) light heavyweight, 175 pounds (79 kg) cruiserweight, 200 pounds (91 kg) heavyweight, unlimited Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.  |
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