NONITO DONAIRE JR. HAS NO CRIMInal inclination, but five years ago, he found himself fighting a strong urge to kill Z Gorres, a fellow-boxer who knocked out his older brother Glenn in the first round of a 10-round fight.
Nonito saw red when, right before his eyes at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Glenn crumpled to the floor.
“I was so angry at Z for what he did to my brother, I wanted to kill him,” Nonito recalled during the party hosted by GMA 7 for him and wife Rachel last Friday.
Of course all that is forgotten now, Nonito assured everyone, and he is in fact flying immediately to the South from Manila to visit Gorres, whose career was cut short following surgery to remove a blood clot in his brain after his fight with Mexican Luis Melendez last November in Las Vegas.
Ironically, Z won that fight via a unanimous decision.
“I want to help him. I know exactly how he feels, especially now that he will no longer be able to fight, ” Nonito said.
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Correct me if I’m wrong, but Nonito seems to have one of the most benevolent hearts hereabouts.
He’s kind and generous and he does good things without much fanfare or publicity.
In the aftermath of typhoon Ondoy, for example, Nonito joined relief volunteers anonymously, wrapping and distributing food packages and medicines.
Without much ado, he also donated the P1 million prize money which he received from the President to the flood victims.
“Nonito sat down with the people who could forward the donation to the proper agencies at the earliest possible time,” said Felipe Gozon, GMA chair, president and CEO.
“I’m not rich, but I have enough to tide me over. I felt that the flood victims needed the money more than I did,” said the WBA interim super flyweight champion, who defended his title against Mexican Manuel Vargas in Las Vegas last Feb. 14.
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While his fights will be covered and aired over ABS-CBN Channel 2, Nonito remains exclusively under contract with GMA 7, as far as his other programs are concerned.
Nonito will be featured in the Manny Pacquiao sitcom Show Me Da Money and will also be guesting this weekend in other GMA shows such as SOP, Startalk and Showbiz Central.
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While he is not discounting the fact that Barako Bull management may eventually sell their PBA franchise, alternate governor Raffy Casyao said he is not aware of any such transaction.
“We are preparing for the next conference and we are at present looking for an import,” said Raffy, who confirmed that Alex Crisano and Adonis Sta. Maria will no longer be part of the team when the Energy Boosters return to action in March.
“Adonis is injured while Alex has an attitude which can no longer be managed,” explained Raffy.
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Women’s basketball here in our country obviously needs a boost, which I realized Sunday when I stepped into an empty Ynares Center, where the PWBL, the new women’s commercial league headed by Nilo Fernandez, holds its games.
Perhaps realizing this, PBA chair Lito Alvarez is giving the PWBL a chance to play in the championship series of the ongoing KFC PBA Philippine Cup.
Nilo’s ladies will play in the preliminary of Games 2, 3 and 4 of the best-of-seven title series.
