Before boxing Guillermo Rigondeaux, Nonito Donaire hadn?t lost in 12 years, had won world titles in four weight classes and was a rising star commonly considered one of the top five pound-for-pound fighters in the sport.
Donaire?s unanimous decision loss to Rigondeaux on April 13 at Radio City Music Hall motivated Donaire. It made ?The Filipino Flash? eager to prove he?s not ?The Filipino Flash In The Pan,? as his critics contended once Rigondeaux outboxed him in their 122-pound championship unification fight.
?I just realized that, hey, this is where I want to be,? Donaire, 30, said on a conference call Tuesday. ?I want to box. I thought I was pretty much done after the fight [with Jorge Arce 11 months ago]. Then after the loss, I realized that I want to be in this game for as long as I can. I want to be in the boxing world. I love the boxing world. This is where I want to be.?
Actually, Donaire (31-2, 20 KOs) wants to be where he was before Rigondeaux (12-0, 8 KOs) beat him, making seven figures for high-profile fights. Donaire?s road to redemption has taken him to Corpus Christi, Texas, where he?ll meet Armenia?s Vic Darchinyan (39-5-1, 28 KOs) in a rematch of their July 2007 fight that changed Donaire?s career.
Donaire knocked out Darchinyan with a perfect left hook in the fifth round of that flyweight title fight. The trash-talking Darchinyan, 37, has waited six years for this rematch, a 10-round featherweight fight HBO will televise.
?He is going to look for a knockout and I?m going to look for a knockout,? said Donaire, a 10-1 favorite. ?I don?t think it?s going to last the 10 rounds.?
MIKEY?S MOVE: Undefeated Mikey Garcia is heavily favored to topple Puerto Rico?s Rocky Martinez in their 12-round fight for Martinez?s WBO super featherweight title Saturday night, HBO?s main event from Corpus Christi, Texas.
Garcia (32-0, 27 KOs) still expects a difficult fight because Martinez (27-1-2, 16 KOs) has boxed between 130 and 135 pounds his entire 12-year career, is a strong puncher and has never been knocked out. Garcia, of Oxnard, Calif., will make his debut at 130 pounds.
?We know everybody?s counting [Martinez] out and we know those are the most dangerous opponents,? said Robert Garcia, Mikey?s older brother and trainer. ?So we?ve got to be ready for a great champion that?s going to go in there and do everything possible to defend his title.?
N.J. HALL CALL: Wyckoff?s Joe Gatti, North Arlington?s Carl Moretti and Paterson?s Otha Tyson are part of the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame?s Class of 2013, a 14-member group that?ll be honored during its 44th annual dinner and induction ceremonies Thursday night at The Venetian in Garfield.
The NJBHOF?s Class of 2013 also features former heavyweight champions Mike Tyson and Ray Mercer and ex-middleweight champ Marvin Hagler.
