Casual Talk from HOLLYWOOD, California – Outfitted in his favorite English black hat, Nonito “Filipino Flash” Donaire, Jr. may just have the thirst to be more of a celebrity figure than just a
regular ring fighter. He charms the public before the camera. He loves that, for sure. Eli Seckbach of Fanhouse can be his favorite; that guy just knows how to push the button that could unleash boisterous bubbles in the air.
At times, Filipino Flash exaggerates his bearing like that of a typical kid in a high school prom who longs for attention. The tendency to muster one’s desire to greatness is there in him. And there you see his youthfulness, most especially when his warrior dance in the ring of madness puts the night on frenzy. His energy would just go sky high. He is articulate. Yes, he is conversationally fluent in English and in his native dialects, Tagalog and Cebuano with an accent of a Boholano. He can be a great magnet of attraction in the grassroots of the America. Though he needs a lot of refining in his character and personal perspectives, his potential to supersede the incumbent is somewhat inevitable. That’s Filipino Flash.
Let me tell you, his stunning performance over Fernando “Cochulito” Montiel whom he knocked out in second round of their World Boxing Council – World Boxing Organization Bantam Weight Championship may have become a competing inroad for Pound-for-Pound king Manny Pacquiao’s glory. If it happens that Pacquiao’s future opponents would just be class-B fighters or retirable ones, if not “recyclable” retirees, and that Filipino Flash would move up and fight Top A-fighters with top-end belts on the line, then the new superstar might just eclipse his compatriot’s widely embraced glory.
But, here’s the drawback for Filipino Flash’s insistent to clean up the bantam weight division and become an undefeated: there’s less glory and less money at that weight class. The only competitive fighter in his current division is Abner Mares of Mexico who is undefeated with twenty-one wins and one draw. He holds the International Boxing Organization and WBC Silver bantamweight belts. But, Mares will be having another title shot at Joseph Agbeko for the International Boxing Federation title this coming March 23 at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles.
If Filipino Flash is really targeting for higher ends, then he must move up and take up the helm of fearlessness. He has stayed too long in the lower division. And, in fact, he is too big and too tall for his current weight class. In the bantam weight division, we have these tough prospects, namely: Koki Kameda and Joseph Agbeko, WBA and IBF champions respectively. Filipino Flash would still enjoy the height and reach advantages over these two. In fact, he is too big to stay and to establish an undefeated record in this weight class. If ever he chooses to remain in this weight class, it is because he rather wants to fight smaller, easily beatable opponents. and let me tell you again, his victory over Montiel does not really warrant a considerable test of his durability and toughness. Montiel was just too small for the montrous, flashy Filipino knockout artist.
At 28, he cannot strained his body too much just to keep up a weight lower that the required basic metabolic rate. He can pack more muscles and can even move up to the lightweight division in the span of two years. Up there in the super bantam weight, we have Toshiaki Nishioka, Akifumi Shimoda, Wilfredo V?zquez, Jr. and Steve Molitor – the reigning super bantam weight champions from WBC, WBA, WBO and IBF, respectively.
Of course, most boxing fans would want him to target Juan Manuel Lopez who is the current WBO featherweight titlist. A dramatic win over Lopez would make him the Pound-for-Pound king of the world.
Only then can Filipino Flash eclipse Pacquiao’s brilliance.
