Aside from Manny Pacquiao, the only other Filipino fighter who has found some following among fight fans in the Metro Detroit Area is the highly- skilled and talented Nonito Donaire, Jr.
This morning while resting on the lounge after doing some brisk walking at the YMCA Downriver in Southgate, I met some familiar faces and one of them, Anthony E. who lives just a few blocks away from the building engaged this writer in a conversation that turned to boxing. After the usual Pacquiao- Mayweather discusssions, Anthony blurted out something about Nonito Donaire, Jr.’s sad fortune while shaking his head.
“That guy (Donaire) should have been fighting elite fighters by now, not bums. His manager and promoter should get him real fights. It’s a waste of his time and talent fighting no- names. If they can’t find a suitable opponent in his weight division, they should consider him moving up in weight.”
Nonito ?The Filipino Flash? Donaire, Jr, the former IBF/ IBO flyweight champion and the reigning WBA interim super flyweight champion, will be fighting Hernan ‘Tyson’ Marquez in the undercard of the Juan Manuel Lopez- Bernabe Concepcion fight dubbed as The Challenge this Saturday night in Puerto Rico.
The Filipino champion has been quoted that it?s hard for him to find the drive and inspiration to fight a fighter like Marquez who lost via unanimous decision in his last fight to unheralded compatriot Richie Mepranum just 4 months earlier although he reassured his fans that he still trained hard and will be all business when the bell rings on the night of the fight.
?There?s no drive for me. The reason that I trained really hard is because I have a lot of respect for my fans and my team. They all believe in me and I can?t have those selfish thoughts.?
Donaire is ranked by Ring Magazine as the No. 4 pound-for-pound boxer in the world for ages now and it is just sad that instead of headlining fight cards and fighting the best fighters out there, he is relegated to supporting roles in major fight events.
Nonito Donaire, Jr., who barged into boxing?s consciousness when he knocked out the then undefeated flyweight champion and the division?s resident bully Vic Darchinyan with a wicked left hook to the jaw, has been fighting nondescript opponents after that sensational victory.
Instead of gaining something from his impressive victory over Vic Darchinyan that won him ?Upset of the Year? and ?Knockout of the Year? honors from Ring Magazine, Donaire found himself in limbo, a victim of his own talent and boxing prowess.
It is of no fault of Donaire though as he is considered a very dangerous opponent because of the rare combination of boxing skills, ring generalship and punching power in his arsenal that made many ?named? fighters wary and reluctant to face him inside the ring.
Nonito Donaire, Jr. has expressed his intention of fighting the likes of Fernando Montiel and Eric Morel but his challenge went unheeded. Even the very vocal Vic Darchinyan, who for quite some time has been calling out Donaire for a rematch, backed out of the fight when the Filipino champion called out his bluff.
And Saturday night?s fight with Hernan Marquez will not improve Donaire?s stock as he is the heavy favorite and is expected to win in exciting and even lopsided fashion. The question really in many boxing fans minds is not on whether Hernan Marquez who also packs some power in his hands will give Donaire a decent fight but on what round the Filipino champion will end the fight.
Such is the challenge facing Nonito Donaire, Jr. on whether he will have the enthusiasm to show his true worth when faced with a mediocre opposition. But if he wants to remain and be seen as a legitimate and exciting prizefighter, he needs to be all business in Puerto Rico come fight night.
And if Nonito Donaire, Jr. believes that patience is a virtue then he needs to continue doing his thing inside the ring and dish out impressive and exciting performances that boxing fans will talk about. If Nonito Donaire, Jr. continues to deliver and fight the fight that he is capable of, the big time fights that he craves for and deserve will come in due time.
++ The Nonito Donaire, Jr.- Hernan Tyson bout is part of the undercard of the Juan Manuel Lopez- Bernabe Concepcion WBO Featherweight Championshop fight, which will be telecast via SHOWTIME on July 10, 2010 at 10 PM ET/ PM.
