I get the distinct feeling from speaking with a gentleman named Nonito Donaire Sr., who works as shop foreman in Concord, Calif., when he?s not busy training his IBF flyweight champion son, that this blow-up between Donaire Jr. and promoter Big Gary Shaw is a minor squall.
Tempest in a teapot is what those British blokes would call it.
The father, who I spoke with at length Wednesday, made it sound he and his son have some bruised feelings over perceived disrespect from the head of GSP. But Papa Donaire, who seem amused when he figured out he was speaking the ?White Gorilla? who nearly tangled with Manny Pacquiao lawyer ?Jackal? Jeng Gacal, said he thinks the situation can be worked out with better communication.
Young Donaire, 25, who aspires to the same Filipino national icon status that Megammany holds, blasted Shaw in print and over the airwaves back home. Donaire offered a litany of what seem like petty complaints but that his father said are real and justified.
?If my son stays focused and does not hang out with the wrong people when he?s not in training, he can eventually be as popular as the great Manny Pacquiao is.?
The bottom line: Donaire Sr. and Jr. are demanding star treatment from Shaw. Immediately if not sooner.
?Gary called me Tuesday night and he was angry,? Donaire Sr. said. ?My son and I do agree that Gary is not treating him the way he should be treating him. Forget about Antonio Tarver and Vernon Forrest, it?s my son who is the real star on Gary?s promotional roster and not them. I told Gary my son is upset and I told my son that now Gary is also upset. I?ve been keeping my mouth shut until you called.
?My son had the feeling that maybe Gary wanted him to lose against Luis Maldonado (KO 8 by Donaire at Foxwoods Saturday),? the father said. ?We found out that Gary?s son, Jared, is the co-manager of Maldonado and Jared kept saying that Maldonado was going to be in Nonito?s face all night.?
Papa Donaire, age 48, repeated his demand for VIP treatment and special handling.
?My son is the most legitimate fighter that Gary Shaw has right now. We got three months notice for the (Vic) Darchinyan fight and you saw the results. For Maldonado, we had one month?s notice. That?s not sufficient.?
Father and son continue to fume about not getting a nibble from the $50,000 fee they say Solar Sports paid to televise Donaire-Maldonado in the Philippines.
Papa Donaire said his son?s purse for the Darchinyan challenge was $125,000 and dropped to $85,000 against Maldonado.
?Gary has to know this: that my son is a world champion who has be treated like one. He cannot be treated like an opponent. We should’ve been second-billed, not third-billed on Showtime!”
Papa D had one last one comment.
?I thought that was very funny when you and Jackal were going to fight, what happened with that??
I bet Big Gary is out shopping for an ego massager right now.
