Manila, Philippines – It?s a tall order for Nonito Donaire Jr.
After going the distance in his last two fights, Donaire will go for a knockout against towering South African Jeffrey Mathebula today in a battle of champions at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California.
?I don?t want it to be a long fight,? said the 29-year-old Donaire, the WBO super-bantamweight champion armed with both the speed and power that carried his countryman Manny Pacquiao to boxing greatness.
Mathebula is the reigning IBF super-bantamweight titlist, and at 5?10? poses as the biggest challenge in Donaire?s 11-year pro career. The ?Filipino Flash? is giving away three to four inches in height and in reach.
During yesterday?s official weigh-in, Donaire tipped the scales at 121.4 pounds, and Mathebula at 121.8.
Up in the stage, the difference in size was so evident that in the staredown the 33-year-old South African looked down on Donaire. But neither fighter blinked.
?I?ve never fought a guy this tall,? said Donaire, former champion in the flyweight, super-flyweight and bantamweight divisions. While he can go a little more higher in weight, his present goal is to unify the 122-pound titles.
There are a lot of big fights to choose from ? if and when Donaire gets past Mathebula.
WBC champion Abner Mares, WBA titlist Guillermo Rigondeaux or Japan?s Toshiaki Nishioka, the No. 1 ranked super-bantamweight by The Ring and ESPN are all waiting in the wings, as well as Mexican matador Jorge Arce.
?I know Rigondeaux and Mares are out there, and I know they?ve called me out. There are five or six guys calling me out, saying I?m scared to fight them, and they are all good fighters. All I can say is that they have to wait their turn. I will get to them.
?They have to do their part to make the fight and be realistic when negotiating. You can?t call someone out and then ask for the world. Pardon my French, but you don?t s_ _t gold, guys,? Donaire told the press days to the fight.
But first things first, Donaire said he has to take care of Mathebula, who said in a media workout earlier week that whatever Donaire can do, he can do better. He vowed to give Donaire the fight he?s never experienced before.
?He wants to attack. OK, attack. I?ll hit him with my jab, and I?m not sure he can get his jab to me being the smaller guy,? Mathebula, who carries a ring record of 26-3-2 with 14 knockouts, was quoted by the Los Angeles Times as saying.
?He had power in lighter weights, but what about my power? I?ve been here 11 years. This will be his second fight at 122. And now he faces the champion,? added the South African who has never fought before in the United States.
Donaire, who can knock anybody out with one punch, is 28-1 with 18 stoppages. His only loss came against American Rosendo Sanchez in a five-round decision in March 2001. He has never lost since, and is not supposed to lose now.
Donaire?s most impressive victories came against Vic Darchinyan, whom he knocked out cold on July 7, 2007, and against Fernando Montiel who was also counted out after only two rounds in February last year .
Suddenly, he was thrust into the limelight, and people started comparing him to Pacquiao.
But Donaire failed to score a knockout in his last two fights, even though he went for it against Omar Narvaez and Wilfredo Vasquez Jr, who was down the canvas in the ninth round.
A knockout against Mathebula will send Donaire?s market value rising. Reports said Donaire is guaranteed $750,000 for this fight, just the same amount Pacquiao received for his first fight with Juan Manuel Marquez in 2004.
Donaire?s promoter, Bob Arum, is already talking of a pay-per-view fight for the Filipino champion, perhaps beginning next year.
That?s unless Mathebula stands in the way.
