Nonito (Flash) Donaire is dropping down in weight to face IBF flyweight champion Vic Darchinyan but said his power won’t diminish in vowing to knock out the Armenia-born Australian in their scheduled 12-round title bout at the Harbour Yard Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut, this morning (Manila time).
Donaire, 24, is a natural superflyweight and reduced from 115 to 112 pounds for the chance to avenge his brother Glenn’s defeat to Darchinyan last year. In the lighter weight divisions, a three-pound drop is considered to be major.
Only four days ago, Donaire weighed 118 but in yesterday’s weigh-in, he tipped the scales exactly at 112. He said it’s an advantage to move down to flyweight because he’s used to fighting bigger opponents and taking harder punches.
Although Darchinyan is unbeaten, Donaire said he’s not intimidated by the champion’s 28-0 record, with 22 KOs. He called Darchinyan a bully for feasting on patsies and promised to tame the fighter known as “The Raging Bull.”
“He’s overrated,” said Donaire who was born in Taliban, Bohol, and was raised in General Santos City before moving to San Leandro, California, with his parents, two brothers and sister in 1991. “He’s beatable. He’s very vulnerable to a lot of punches. I can hit him a lot and that’s how I plan to beat him. I’ll go for an early knockout but I can also outbox him. He’s not a strong puncher. He’s just a bully.”
Donaire insisted his boxing skills will frustrate Darchinyan and expose his deficiencies as a one-dimensional slugger.
“I’m smart,” said Donaire. “Mentally, I’ll do whatever it takes to win the title. I’ll give it my all. I want to give my family what they need to enjoy life. The door is open for me to do anything and I know I can help my parents out that way.”
Darchinyan, 31, has repulsed six challengers so far, including Donaire’s brother and another Filipino, Diosdado Gabi. He scored a sixth round technical decision over Glenn who couldn’t continue when referee Tony Weeks ruled an accidental elbow broke his jaw. Donaire said Darchinyan will pay for that.
“It’s not so much of a revenge thing,” said Donaire quoted by writer Steve Kim. “I want to punish him, that’s the thing. I want to beat his face up. I know he’ll try to do the same thing with me. But for me, I have more hunger to do that to him. This is an opportunity for me. It’s a dream and that’s what I’m doing to go in there for.”
Experience will be on Darchinyan’s side as Donaire has fought in 10 less bouts, compiling a 17-1 mark, with 10 KOs. But the downside is Darchinyan is seven years older and in boxing, age makes a big difference because of the wear-and-tear factor.
If Donaire is able to neutralize Darchinyan’s swarming style and pick his shots from a distance, he has a chance to score an upset. Darchinyan is known to be a plodder who’ll charge straight through the defense, using his smothering power as the key to overwhelm his opponents. He won’t mind taking a shot or two for the opportunity to hit a big one.
Darchinyan, however, is untested against a bigger opponent with skills and power like Donaire.
Donaire is trained by his father Nonito, Sr., a welding foreman and former amateur fighter. His style has prompted comparisons with Floyd Mayweather and even Manny Pacquiao.
“He’s a Pacquiao type,” said Donaire’s manager Cameron Dunkin, quoted by Mike Houser in The Ring Magazine. “He’ll knock you dead as a door nail. That’s what people want to see.” Houser said Donaire has shown some of the same skills as Mayweather, “displaying the speed and instincts to be able to stand in front of an opponent and make him miss by a fraction of an inch while countering with lightning-fast punches of his own.”
Donaire said Sugar Ray Leonard inspired him to take boxing seriously. After Donaire lost a disputed decision to Brian Viloria in the 2000 US Olympic boxoffs, he was encouraged by Leonard.
“Sugar Ray came up to me and said, Œif this fight is how they scored fights in my day, I would‚ve never been an Olympic gold medalist,‚” recalled Donaire. “It made me a better fighter. Amateur is amateur. My goal was to be a pro.”
Now, Donaire has the rare chance to become a world champion – as a pro.
