EVERYTHING is OK in relation to the preparation of Filipino world champion Nonito Donaire for the first defense of his International Boxing Federation (IBF) flyweight crown on Dec. 1 at Foxwoods Casino in Ledyard, Connecticut.
Reporting from Cebu City, where Donaire has been training the past seven days for his initial defense against Luis “Titi” Maldonado of Mexico, the fighter?s father cum trainer Nonito Sr. said in a radio interview that his son is right on track.
“We have studied the style of Maldonado and although we believe that Jun-Jun (Nonito?s nickname) will take care of him, we are not taking him lightly,” Nonito Sr. said.
“We can?t afford to take it easy.”
Maldonado has a 37-1-1 win-loss-draw record with 28 knockouts.
“We have seen his record and it?s impressive. His only loss was against Vic Darchinyan and it was not really a knockout although Maldonado was stopped in that fight,” said the elder Donaire.
Donaire, who was born in Gen. Santos City, packs an 18-1 slate with 11 knockouts.
Donaire?s family migrated to the United States when he was about eight years old, a reason why he remains fluent in Cebuano and Pilipino.
Donaire had captured the IBF title with a one-punch, fifth-round knockout of Darchinyan last July and the 24-year-old San Leandro, California-based right-hander is optimistic that he can stave off Maldonado?s challenge.
The Donaires reside in a secluded house on the outskirts of Cebu and report for training at Tony Aldeguer?s well-equipped gym. They will train there until the third week of November and are set to fly to the US on Nov. 24.
Nonito Sr. said that his son currently weighs 125 lbs and “there?s no cause for alarm since the fight is still far.”
Donaire is one of two Filipino world champions with the exclusion of bantam Gerry Pe?alosa, who holds the 118-lb version in the World Boxing Organization.
The other world titleholder is minimumweight Florante Condes, who reigns in the IBF.
