Being a promotional free agent in the United States, Chris ?The Dragon? John of Indonesia, could be a worthy opponent for Philippine boxing?s newest sensation Nonito Donaire, Jr.
The scenario may become a possibility now that Donaire has revealed a fervent plan to move up in weight and add another title division.
?I?ve learned not to wait for anybody. We?re going to take the high road out if there?s an opportunity in that division,? said Donaire.
Though Donaire remains firm in wanting to fight undefeated Mexican and fellow superbantamweight title holder Abner Mares, he is aware of the major stumbling block that is preventing that fight from happening.
Donaire fights under Bob Arum, while Mares represents bitter promotional rival Golden Boy.
In the featherweight division, Donaire would love to fight World Boxing Council champion Daniel Ponce De Leon of Mexico. But just like Mares, De Leon is also a Golden Boy fighter.
Donaire believes Orlando Salido?s days as World Boxing Organization featherweight champion are numbered as he expects title challenger Mikey Garcia to claim the crown in their Jan. 19 showdown in New York.
?Mikey?s brother Robert is my trainer and so we are in one team. I don?t see myself fighting Mikey, even if it involves a lot of money,? said Donaire.
ENTER THE DRAGON. The 33-year-old John is a longtime World Boxing Association featherweight champion and has defended his crown mostly in Indonesia, Japan and Australia since 2003.
John?s selling point is that he is in an elite company and one a the few who have defeated Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez in the last five years.
In 2006, John kept his WBA crown when he decisioned Marquez in a 12-round bout held in Indonesia. The two other fighters who have defeated Marquez in that stretch were Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr.
John has kept an unblemished slate since turning professional in 1998 by winning 48 bouts with two draws spiked with 22 stoppages.
PH-MX TIEBREAKER. Their names may not ring a bell but the countries these two boxers are representing surely do.
Mexican Christian Esquivel and Filipino Malcolm Tunacao are set to battle in a world title eliminator tomorrow in Kobe, Japan.
The winner will be declared by the World Boxing Council as mandatory challenger to current bantamweight champion Shinsuke Yamanaka of Japan.
But more than the world title shot at stake, Tunacao and Esquivel are out to break the tie between Mexico and the Philippines in the two country?s championship battles between marquee fighters.
In an overseas interview from Japan, the 35-year-old Tunacao revealed that several Mexican writers went to his gym and told him about their awareness regarding the rivalry.
?I was surprised when they told me this will break the tie between the Philippines and Mexico. It only means Mexicans are giving importance to this bout. I do hope our countrymen are also aware about this bout,? said Tunacao.
It all started when Brian Viloria battled Mexican Hernan ?Tyson? Marquez in a WBO and WBA flyweight unification match September of this year in Los Angeles, California.
The fight saw the Philippines drawing first blood when Viloria stopped Marquez in the 10th round.
The Mexicans came back in a compelling way when Juan Manuel Marquez and lightweight world champion Miguel Angel Vazquez came out victors against their Filipino opponents in one card last Dec. 8 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Marquez, of course, tallied the biggest win achieved by Mexico when he stopped Filipino sensation Manny Pacquiao via sixth-round knockout.
In the undercard, Vazquez decisioned US-based Mercito Gesta, a native of Mandaue, via a 12-round decision to keep his International Boxing Federation lightweight crown.
Donaire leveled the score via his smashing third-round knockout win over Jorge Arce last December 15 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.
OPPORTUNE CHANCE. For Tunacao, this is the right moment for him to vie for another world title.
Tunacao became the toast of the town when he defeated Pacquiao conqueror Medgoen Singsurat via seventh-round TKO and reclaimed Pacquiao?s WBC flyweight title 2000.
However, Tunacao lost the crown after being stopped by Thai sensation Pongsaklek Wonjongkam the following year.
Tunacao said he was once successful in bringing back a world crown for the country when he reclaimed Pacquiao?s WBC belt from Singsurat.
This time, he is eyeing to duplicate the achievement by trying to regain the WBC bantamweight strap once held by Donaire.
