On Saturday, May 31, at The Venetian Resort in Macau, China, Nonito Donaire (32-2, 21 KOs), from San Leandro, California by way of Talibon, Bohol, Philippines, looks to regain his stature by challenging Simpiwe Vetyeka (26-2, 16 KOs), from Duncan Village, Eastern Cape, South Africa, for the WBA featherweight title.
Although it may be a tad premature, some have written off the 2012 Fighter of the Year. Donaire is only 31 years old and a one-time pound-for-pounder, but the 33-year-old Vetyeka is coming off a huge 2013, with stoppages over Daud Cino Yordan (30-2) in April and Chris John (48-0-3) in December.
The Filipino Flash?s year was less impressive. In his last fight against Vic Darchinyan (39-5-1) in November, Nonito struggled before stopping the Raging Bull in round nine. And in April of that year Donaire got his comeuppance at the hands of master boxer Guillermo Rigondeaux (11-0), a loss that has been erased from history, much like Rigondeaux himself.
?Last year I got away from what made me successful and I paid the price for that when I met Guillermo Rigondeaux,? says Donaire, who now seems more or less willing to give The Jackal his due. ?And even when I knocked out Vic Darchinyan in our rematch last year, that wasn?t the best me.?
The best Donaire may be a thing of the past, which is something the former champion has considered.
?I reevaluated everything. I moved my training camp to the Philippines to take advantage of the heat and humidity and to eliminate the distractions I had in Las Vegas. It was a great move. I let a lot of things I worked hard to achieve slip through my fingers last year. I want to return to where I was in 2012 and go beyond that for the reminder of my boxing career.?
Donaire is personable. He always, or almost always, says the right thing, which is an asset when it comes to marketability. But fights are no more won with words than with power (however great an equalizer power may be). Boxing is a skill sport, not a strength sport, and many wonder if Donaire has the skill to defeat a slick boxer with a high ring IQ.
?I had to work on a lot of things in camp,? Nonito says, ?because Vetyeka is so multidimensional inside the ring. He?s dangerous and has a lot of weapons. His last two fights were knockout victories of Daud Yordan and Chris John. Those are two tough guys. But I am confident I have the game plan and the talent to beat him. There is no doubt that May 31 at The Venetian Macao is going to be my finest hour.?
Not, of course, if Vetyeka has anything to say about it.
?Facing Donaire is the biggest motivation because in boxing,? he says. ?But I?m the champion now and I will extend my title. He?s got a powerful left hook. I?m sure he?ll want to use it but I have a plan for that. I?m prepared for anything that comes. If he?s not ready to go 12 rounds, that means I?ll knock him out. But if he?s ready, I can win on points.?
The fans are rooting for Donaire, as are most of the experts. But name recognition takes one just so far in a sport as uncompromising as boxing.
