NONITO Donaire Jr.?s sojourn at Top Rank is apparently over, but not if Bob Arum can help it.
Petulant Bob has vowed to make somebody pay, and so the legal moguls over there at Golden Boy Promotions better be ready with a legally defensible position in justifying how they enticed Donaire to hop on over to presumably greener pastures despite a valid, binding contract.
DISPUTE. I would love to get a hold of the fine print that yokes Donaire to Arum and discuss the implications. But frankly, that?s my day job and I would rather not gunk up your Sunday with legal jargon.
However, just to satisfy the curiosity of many, the bone of contention, or rather the infirmity relied upon as the reason for the severance, appears to be the number of fights Top Rank was supposed to provide to Donaire.
Arum and company have invoked a medical suspension imposed on Donaire by the Nevada Athletic Commission as the reason for the inability to comply with the fight schedule.
If so, we might be in for a protracted legal battle which will derail Donaire?s career to the consternation of many.
REASONS. Legalities aside, Rachel Donaire has voiced out their lack of satisfaction with the way Donaire?s career has been handled by Top Rank.
The Donaires have always believed that Nonito Jr. deserved to get the big fights, but prior to the blockbuster matchup with Montiel last month, he wasn?t exactly getting any of the prime rib on the buffet table, and so there might be some truth to that.
Another blatant transgression that was pointed out was the inability to let Donaire fight on the undercard of any Pacquiao fight.
This gripe might be valid as I recall that Nonito Jr. fought in the undercard of Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. but never for Pacquiao.
PREMATURE. All told, I think it?s premature for anybody to say that Nonito made the wrong move in jumping ship.
The legality of the transfer is an issue to be resolved separately, but its propriety still has to be determined in future fights that Golden Boy may set up for him, assuming of course they are actually able to.
The world of professional boxing is dynamic and downright unpredictable. Fighters lose fights, champions lose belts, and blockbuster match-ups can easily implode for even the littlest of reasons.
Ergo, just because Top Rank has many fighters under contract that may be plausible opponents for Donaire around his weight class does not necessarily mean that Golden Boy Promotions cannot do a better job.
I recall the level of optimism and the sanguinity that prevailed after ?The Filipino Flash? signed up with Top Rank a few years ago, but even they?or at least as far as the Donaires are concerned?were unable to come up with the goods.
Consider, finally, the long standing rift between Oscar de la Hoya and Bob Arum and the possibility that Donaire may well be a victim of their inherent detestation for each other.
In the meantime, let?s wait and see what the immediate future holds for Donaire.
UFC 128. Worth checking out today is UFC 128 as middleweight champion Mauricio Rua faces Jon ?Bones? Jones.
Jones has been dubbed the future of the sport but that future may well be happening today. Jones enjoys a terrific height advantage, and his athleticism may well be the crucial factor in this match-up.
?Shogun? Rua is a technically proficient fighter who is a master in exploiting an opponent?s weakness, but Jones could be a step ahead of him. I?m predicting Jones to stop Rua in 3 rounds.
HE SAID IT. ?Unless he comes back to us,? Arum told the Bulletin, ?he won?t have a fight. The only fight he is going to have is with his wife, Rachel.?–Bob Arum (ringtv.craveonline.com)
LAST ROUND. It?s on the Blessed Trinity Achievers Academy for a successful run of ?The Prince of Egypt?. Cheers!
