IBF flyweight champion Nonito Donaire Jr. arrives today from San Francisco with wife Rachel and in-laws Gerry and Becky Marcial to spend the holidays here and begin preparing for his next fight, possibly against WBO superflyweight titleholder Fernando Montiel of Mexico in March.
While no contract has been signed, Donaire said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum mentioned it?s highly likely he?ll face Montiel in an attempt to annex a second world crown at the Araneta Coliseum.
In a long distance phone call before boarding his flight, Donaire admitted finding it increasingly difficult to keep within the 112-pound limit and welcomed the move up in weight to challenge Montiel.
?The way it looks, the winner of my fight against Montiel will take on the winner of the Vic Darchinyan-Jorge Arce bout (on Feb. 7) in a big money showdown in the middle of next year,? said Donaire. ?Cristian Mijares is also in the mix but after losing to Darchinyan, I?m not sure he?s still a viable opponent. As for me, I?m just out there to fight the best, whomever Bob and my manager (Cameron Dunkin) pick.?
Donaire, 26, said it won?t be easy figuring out Montiel who?s making the eighth defense of the 115-pound title in his second reign. Montiel is a former world flyweight champion, too.
?This will be the toughest fight of my career,? said Donaire who?s coming off a sixth round stoppage of Moruti Mthalane of South Africa. ?Montiel is a tactician. I?ll fight him anyway he wants – up close or from a distance. I?ll use body shots to slow him down. I?ll do what it takes to win. What?s important is a belt will be at stake and I?m out to take it away from him.?
It won?t be Montiel?s first fight on Philippine soil. In February last year, he pounded out a split 12-round decision over Z Gorres in Cebu. Montiel, 29, has won six in a row since losing a split verdict to Jhonny Gonzalez two years ago. His record is 38-2-1, with 28 KOs, and his only other loss was a majority decision to Mark Johnson in 2003. Reacting to reports that he has severed ties with his father-trainer Nonito Sr., Donaire confirmed they?ve gone their separate ways.
?No matter what, I still respect and love my dad,? said Donaire. ?But yes, we?ve had a falling out. I?m disappointed but we?ve got to move forward. At the moment, I?m looking for a trainer who won?t change my style, who?ll work with me without imposing what he wants me to do. I?m really looking for an assistant to train me, someone who can hold up the mitts and get me going.?
Donaire said he?ll probably call in Hawaii-based Bobby Villaver and former superlightweight champion Morris East to work his corner against Montiel. Villaver was his amateur coach and East, who now lives in Las Vegas, joined his corner for the Mthalane bout.
?Both Bobby and Morris told me they?re willing to work with me for free,? said Donaire. ?But I?ll be fair to them. I trust them and that?s important.?
Donaire said when his in-laws return to the US early January, he?ll start hard training. ?I?ve spoken with Gerry Pe?alosa about training in his Kamuning gym,? said Donaire. ?I?ve asked Gerry if we could spar. I could learn a lot from Gerry who?ll be training for his next fight, maybe against Eric Morel in late January. I have a lot of respect for Gerry?s skills and style. To beat Montiel, I?ll need to borrow some of Gerry?s best moves.?
Donaire said he won?t stay idle during the holidays.
?As soon as I get off the plane, I plan to stay in shape,? said Donaire. ?I?ll probably take a few days off around Christmas time but I?ll be running and going to the gym. I won?t be pushing too hard until early January when my in-laws leave. That?s when the hard work really starts I?ll stay in Manila until after the Montiel fight.?
Donaire boasts a 20-1 record, with 13 KOs, and since wresting the IBF crown from Darchinyan on a fifth round knockout last year, has repulsed challengers Luis Maldonado and Mthalane.
It took Donaire eight rounds to dispose of Maldonado, five more than Montiel who has victimized another Filipino, Roy Doliguez, aside from Gorres.
