MANILA, Philippines ? World Boxing Association (WBA) bantamweight champion Anselmo Moreno not only welcomes the challenge of rising Filipino star Nonito Donaire Jr., he anticipates it.
“That day, if I get to fight him, the whole world will know ‘Chemito’ Moreno. We’ll see if Nonito Donaire is capable of hitting a ghost,” he said in BoxingScene.com.
The Panamanian said he is just waiting for a deal to be reached for his fight against the ?Filipino Flash,” who astonished boxing fans by halting Mexican champion Fernando Montiel in just 2 rounds.
Moreno said he was told that his fight against Donaire might take place on May 28 in Oakland, California.
“The fight sounds good to me. I think it will be a great fight,” said Moreno.
The 28-year-old Donaire, who won the World Boxing Council (WBC) and World Boxing Organization (WBO) titles in the Montiel fight, earlier said he?s willing to face Moreno to become the first Asian undisputed champion.
“Maganda nga ?yun kase magaling si Anselmo at magaling ?yung record niya? Siya yung super champion ng WBA,? he said.
‘I’m no Montiel’ WBC/WBO bantamweight king Nonito Donaire Jr.
Moreno, however, said he will be nothing like Montiel.
“Donaire is going to fall short because it’s one thing to fight with Fernando Montiel and another to fight ‘Chemito’ Moreno,” he said.
The fleet-footed Donaire caught Montiel with a powerful counter left hook to the face that led to the Mexican?s stoppage.
But the 25-year-old Moreno said he has superior speed and defensive skills which the Filipino champion never encountered against Montiel.
Moreno was originally scheduled to fight Lorenzo Parra in April, but the deal was not confirmed.
The Panamanian, a southpaw like Donaire, has a 30-1-1 record, with 10 knockouts.
Donaire, hailed as Manny Pacquiao?s heir apparent, has 26 victories with only 1 defeat. Eighteen of his career victories came by way of knockout.
