LAS VEGAS ? IBF flyweight champion Nonito Donaire Jr. said yesterday he expects Manny Pacquiao to overwhelm WBC superfeatherweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez and put an end to the Mexican?s reign in their sold-out title fight at the Mandalay Bay Events Center here this morning (Manila time).
Donaire, who is training at the Top Rank gym here for his title defense against Hussein Hussein in Dubai on April 18, said Pacquiao is too strong and too fast for Marquez.
?I don?t think Marquez is the same fighter he was when he fought Manny four years ago,? said Donaire. ?He?s slower and not as strong. If he gets hit by Manny, he?ll go down for sure. It?ll happen in five or six rounds.?
Donaire said Pacquiao will come out smoking and smother Marquez to score an early knockout because he realizes the longer the fight goes, the tougher the Mexican becomes.
?If the fight goes the distance, it?s 50-50,? said Donaire. ?Marquez is known for his stamina and intelligence. He?s tough. Remember he went down three times in their first fight and came back to figure Manny out. You?ve got to give him credit for that. He?s smart and strong. And he can punch, too. He?s the kind of fighter who figures out how to beat an opponent as a fight progresses. The way I see it, Marquez gets better when the fight gets longer.?
As for conditioning, Donaire said Pacquiao is in tip-top shape.
?I ran with Manny early morning and I had a really hard time keeping pace,? he said. ?I think I?m in good shape but he?s in excellent condition. I got tired but he was relaxed the entire run. Conditioning is no problem which means Manny will be quick and won?t wear out.?
Donaire spent the Christmas holidays in Manila and after a two-month vacation, went back to the US last month. He set up training camp with his father Nonito Sr. three weeks ago and has brought down his weight to 122 pounds.
?For (Luis) Maldonado, I was 133 at this point three weeks before the fight,? said Donaire. ?There?s more hard work to do but I?m ready to sacrifice.?
The other day, Donaire took on North American Boxing Organization champion Rafael Valenzuela and Mongolian tough guy Batkhu Otegon in separate three-round sparring sessions at the Top Rank gym. Both Valenzuela and Otegon were badly banged up.
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Filipina pro boxer Ana (Hurricane) Julaton, a winsome 27-year-old charmer, said yesterday she?s hoping to fight in the undercard of the Gerry Pe?alosa-Ratanachai Sor Vorapin main event at the Araneta Coliseum on April 6.
Last Thursday, Julaton pounded out a unanimous four-round decision over Clara de la Torre despite a four-inch height disadvantage to raise her unbeaten record to 3-0.
Julaton turned pro last November, decisioning Rita Valentino. Last month, she scored a split six-round verdict over Carly Batey in Temecula.
What?s going for Julaton is trainer Freddie Roach is in her corner.
?Freddie wants me to work more on my combinations,? she said. ?Against Clara, I was up against someone who was so much taller. I made a lot of adjustments like doubling up on my uppercuts. I know I need to be more aggressive. I was on the verge of scoring a knockout in my three fights so far and came very close but I?m not rushing it. I know everyone wants a knockout. If I work harder to get inside, throw more power shots, it?ll come.?
Julaton?s manager Angelo Reyes said his plan to keep her busy, fighting every month until she earns a title crack late this year or early the next. The target is WBC superbantamweight interim champion Jackie (La Princesa Azteca) Nava of Tijuana who has a 16-2-2 record, with nine KOs.
One of Julaton?s best friends is Fil-Am taekwondo champion Rachel Marcial whom she introduced to Donaire last year. A month ago, Donaire proposed marriage to Marcial.
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Bobby Pacquiao, who was knocked out by Mexico?s Urbano Antillon in a single round here last Thursday, isn?t hanging up his gloves even as he has lost three of his last four.
Bobby, 27, said yesterday he?ll continue fighting. There?s a possibility he?ll be back in the ring for a fight, maybe against a Thai, in Cebu next month. It wasn?t the first time Bobby has been stopped in a round. In 1998, Isidro Perez made short work of Bobby and in 2001, Jimrex Jaca did the same thing.
Bobby broke into the world ratings after racking up three wins in a row over former world champions Carlos Navarro, Carlos Hernandez and Kevin Kelley in the US. But losses to Hector Velazquez, Humberto Soto and now, Antillon derailed his hopes of joining older brother Manny in the ranks of Filipino world champions.
Bobby, however, vowed to bounce back as a lightweight. His record is now 28-14-3, with 13 KOs.
