Still beaming after being named winner PSA Athlete of the Year award alongside swimmer Miguel Molina, world boxing champion Nonito Donaire is looking forward to defending his International Boxing Federation (IBF) flyweight crown against Australian-born Lebanese Hussein Hussein on April 18 in Dubai, UAE.
“I am going back to the States next week (this week) and get ready,” said Donaire after the awarding ceremony Saturday at the Mall of Asia.
Although Donaire is still on vacation, the 25-year-old from San Leandro, California but originally from General Santos City, revealed that he keeps his “weight” in check as he anticipates a rugged outing against Hussein, ranked No. 14 by the IBF and No. 8 by the World Boxing Association.
Donaire, who defended his title against Luis Maldonado last December, describes the 32-year-old Hussein “as a world-caliber fighter and somebody who is going to give it all he?s got and not get intimidated by any means.”
The Filipino packs a 19-1-0 win-loss-draw card with 12 knockouts, while Hussein parades a 31-4-0 slate with 24 demolitions.
Donaire won the IBF crown with an eye-popping one-punch, fifth-round knockout of Australian-Armenian Vic Darchinyan in July 2007.
While he admits that Hussein will be armed to the teeth on fight night, Donaire assures his fans and followers that he is not cowed by Hussein?s fearsome reputation.
“I have never backed down on anybody and in any fight as well. All I have to do is work hard in training and give all that I have got in every fight,” added the articulate Donaire.
Hussein represented Australia in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and Commonwealth Games.
The Donaire-Hussein showdown will be put up by Third Force Promotions, headed by former pro basketball commissioner Noli Eala.
Providing assistance is the ALA Boxing Club of Cebu manned by the father-and-son tandem of Tony and Michael Aldeguer and new acquisition Dennis Canete.
