NONITO Donaire Jr. said he will draw his energy from his father, his family, his team and the cheers of thousands of fans in attendance to help him accomplish what he came here for, and that is to win.
?I feel very grateful. I feel very blessed. We want to release our energy and let the people know that this is going to be a great fight,? a pumped-up Nonito Donaire Jr. said after tipping the scales at 122 3/4 pounds in yesterday?s weigh-in at the Ayala Center Cebu. ?I felt the energy within me and I had to scream and yell. I had to relax myself that?s why we did that chant. ?What?s our mission? Warriors what is our mission??, I told them. ?Victory!?, that?s what our mission is, victory.?
The 33-year-old Donaire Jr. is defending his World Boxing Organization (WBO) super bantamweight belt in front of a sellout crowd tonight against Hungarian challenger Zsolt Bedak in the main event of ?The Time Has Come: Donaire vs. Bedak? at the Cebu City Sports Center.
Unlike Donaire Jr., Bedak was silent, calm and composed. He weighed in half a pound below the 122 pound limit. He posed for the cameras, shook hands with Donaire Jr. and did nothing of the usual pre-match hype.
For him, this is just a job that he has to do.
?Nonito Donaire is a sportsman like me. He is a very likable person. I have no bad feelings against him. But in the ring it?s going to be war. I?ll do my job,? said Bedak, a former Olympian.
Bedak fought for a world title six years ago but lost to then WBO super bantamweight titleholder Wilfredo Vazquez in Puerto Rico. He believes now is his moment to shine.
?Many people don?t know that I broke my jaw in that fight (Vazquez). This time I?m more healthy, more experienced and more mature,? he said.
Nonito Donaire Sr. said that his son will definitely be more patient and won?t be looking for those one-punch knockouts that he usually does. But he believes the fight won?t go the distance, regardless of his son?s more mature approach of the game.
?I give him six rounds. If he (Bedak) holds then the fight will go on longer but if he engages, then it will end early,? he said.
Donaire Jr. is 36-3 with 23 knockouts, while Bedak is 25-1 with eight knockouts.
Fast-rising unbeaten Aussie prospect Paul Fleming (21-0, 14 KOs) takes on tough Mexican Miguel Angel Gonzalez (22-7-1, 12 KOs) for the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) Continental Americas super featherweight crown in the co-main event.
Undefeated up-and-coming Filipino featherweight Mark Magsayo (13-0) slugs it out with former world title contender Chris Avalos (26-4, 19 KOs) for the vacant WBO International featherweight strap in the main supporting bout.
In the undercard, WBO No. 1 rated light welterweight Jason Pagara (37-2, 23 KOs) trades leathers with Mexican Miguel Zamudio (35-8-1, 21 KOs), 19-year-old prospect Jeo Santisima (9-2, 8 KOs) faces heavy-handed Thai Tabthong Tor Buamas (14-3, 12 KOs), two-time word title challenger Rocky Fuentes (36-8-2, 21 KOs) squares off with Romnick Magos (12-5, 7 KOs), promising youngster Virgel Vitor (6-1, 3 KOs) locks horns with Paulo Pereno (3-8-1, 3 KOs), Junriel Jimenez (4-0, 1 KO) faces off with Marlou Sandoval (8-0-2, 3 KOs) and Lorenz Labrada slugs it out with Renjie Sabanal (1-3-1) in the curtain-raiser.
