It apparently hasn?t been all that widely reported that Nonito Donaire is not fighting Fernando Montiel this fall and won?t fight on the Pacquiao-Margarito undercard Nov. 13 in Dallas-Fort Worth.
Donaire?s manager Cameron Dunkin set me straight on those facts about 10 days ago and added that Donaire ?will fight on pay-per-view in December.? I?ve been sitting on this info. Sorry if you didn?t know.
Dunkin didn?t tell me which card, but promoter Bob Arum already is staging a Miguel Cotto-Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. match Dec. 4 and needs a strong undercard. I would bank on Donaire?s being part of that.
I was focused less on the date than the opponent in an email exchange with Dunkin. A source told me Jorge Arce had been in the discussion as Donaire?s December fodder. Dunkin seemed perturbed that I was asking about such a baseless rumor, and now I?m perturbed that he lumped me with the legions of amateur rumor-mongers pervading the boxing press corps these days. My source was pretty sound.
Donaire?s in-laws apparently will be socializing with me and my missus Saturday or soon thereafter. I believe Rachel and Nonito are returning from the Philippines (by way of Japan) in a couple of days. The visit to San Mateo will put me back in the boxing maelstrom after a few weeks of scant attention during a period when the East of Eden writers conference I was shepherding for Sept. 24-26 got canceled instead.
Schedule conflicts that weekend included the Andre Ward-Andre Dirrell bout, which Showtime wanted to stage Sept. 25, and might yet. The network still is pressuring both camps to fight soon, if not that soon. (I also gave up a chance to sing in the barbershop quartet of a high-caliber production of ?The Music Man? this month because of East of Eden.)
Dec. 4 is shaping up as an even more-congested date. My vocal octet, the Bear-a-Tones, has a chance to perform at a Hanukkah party that night. I?ve got good solos in ?Stand By Me? and ?Blue Moon.? I usually get theater review assignments the first weekend in December, too. It?s also a climactic day in college football, which could reduce the TV boxing audience.
I?m at risk of giving this next Donaire fight short shrift myself, though I?d love to cover it if the card winds at New York?s Madison Square Garden, and I?m pretty sure I have enough clout with Arum?s Top Rank to get credentials.
My lack of clout with Dunkin has become a sore point, but Donaire himself is as strong an ally for me as anyone in his camp. I don?t know whom he?s fighting Dec. 4 or whenever, but I?m pretty sure we?ll be having our long-awaited karaoke square-off before that.
And I?m certain Rachel and Nonito would be welcome at the Hanukkah party.
