This past weekend while in Indio, California?s 100 plus degree weather for the Cornelius Bundrage/Cory Spinks title fight, prior to the fight I sat with a few writers and photo guys and talked about the sweet science.
While waiting for the television portion of the Showtime telecast, we threw around fighters names, upcoming matches and of course, the Manny Pacquiao/Timothy Ray Bradley June 9 decision, which threw our fist-throwing world through a loop ever since Michel Buffer uttered the words ?and new??
Of the boxers and upcoming fights discussed, a writer friend of mine brought up a text I shot him a couple of weeks ago:
?Nonito Donaire: the future?.
I nodded my head, and no one sitting nearby disagreed. My friend brought up the fact that his last few outings were not too good, to which I replied that perhaps Donaire is the type of fighter that needs just the right opponent to bring out the best of him.
At the same time, I brought up Bradley as a fighter who needed a strong opponent and how prior to now being a household name in becoming the first man to fell the Pac Man in seven years, he was a relative unknown other than to us So Cal scribes. Bradley had faced no opponent even near the caliber of Pacquiao, and obviously had to prepare like never before to step into the ring with the No. 1 pound for pound fighter in the game, trade punches, and hear the final bell, all of which he did on June 9, while at the same time able to keep his winning record and add a 147 title to his resume.
So while it was true that Donaire looked less than stellar in his decision bid over the reluctant Omar Nevarez, then scoring a split decision nod over the son of legend Wilfredo Vasquez who should have perhaps been disposed of after being knocked down in the 9th, Donaire, who is a young 29 years of age, needs to climb the ladder even further than he already has to step in with those opponents who will truly test his mettle and provide him with the kind of career defining victories that every fighter dreams about (ask Bradley about that being truth).
Heading into his title unification bout against South Africa?s Jeffrey Mathebula (IBF) this weekend as the main event of HBO?s Boxing After Dark, Donaire (WBO) sounds like he himself knows that the bigger the name beaten, the bigger the glory.
?The motivation is in my heart to work toward my goals and my dreams. To be a unified champion then challenge anyone out there and make it undisputed is a dream and hopefully I can make it happen,? said Donaire on a recent media conference call.
Donaire, who staged a few open workouts in Los Angeles and Manhattan Beach leading up to the title unification bout, recently made headlines by agreeing to 24/7, around the clock VADA testing.
Boxing has unfortunately recently been under fire for fighters testing positive for enhancement agents, and it speaks volumes that one of the sports most promising fighters is stepping up to clean up the sport that he soon will take over.
Everyone should be on notice:
?Nonito Donaire: the future?.
