WBA Super Featherweight Champion Nonito Donaire gears up for what appears to be his toughest fight in his pro career as he squares off with unbeaten Jamaican fighter Nicholas Walters Saturday night at the StubHub Center in Carlson, California.
Donaire, who hails from the Philippines and fighting out of San Leandro, California, is targeting his third victory after losing to Cuban Guillermo Rigondeaux in April last year at the Radio City Music Hall, New York, New York. The “Filipino Flash” was on his 31st winning streak when he lost to the ex-Cuban Olympian but later came up stronger after knocking out old foe Vic Darchinyan late last year. While Donaire has scored two successive wins following his loss to Rigondeaux, his sharpness and generalship was put to test as he struggled against former foe Vic Darchginyan although he was lucky to score a TKO win in the ninth round. Last May, Donaire regained his WBA (Super) Featherweight title when he beat Simpiwe Vityeka in Macau, China but it was a bittersweet victory as the fight was stopped due to injury with the judges ruling in his favor as he was ahead on the scorecards. On Saturday, Donaire will have to be ready for what seems to be his toughest fight ever when he comes face-to-face in the ring with Walters, who has been undefeated in 24 pro fights. Walters is a knockout artist with a superior power both in his left and right hands. 20 of his 24 professional fights ended in a knock out. His most recent victim is former foe Vic Darchinyan, who was put to sleep by the “Axe Man” in the fifth round last May after a series of knockdowns in rounds two and five. Walters, 28, has both the height (5’7″) and reach (73″) advantage against Donaire’s 5’6″ in height and a reach of 68 inches.
