The wife of super boxing champion Nonito Donaire, Rachel, is a former competitive one-on-one combat gladiatorette, and she shows her impressive knowledge of pugilism in this interview. Mrs. Donaire talks about her favorite Nonito performance, the fight that most concerned her, Manny vs. Floyd, her favorite boxer to watch other than her husband, and more?
BoxingInsider: What has been your favorite ring performance of your husband Nonito?s boxing career?
Rachel Donaire: ?Ohh?Montiel. Because I wasn?t with him for the Darchinyan so I don?t know what exactly the gameplan was. But Montiel ? up until a couple of minutes before he went in the ring, he knew exactly what Montiel was gonna throw. He only watched Montiel fight once, to see what he could capitalize on. And as soon as I saw that Montiel was over-committing in the second round, I knew it was gonna be that. It was one of those things that the chess match went as planned in his head. And it was executed instantaneously.?
BoxingInsider: Which fight were you most concerned or worried before?
Rachel Donaire: ?The Rafael Concepcion fight. He was trying to come in super overweight. He came in at 119.5. He didn?t want to wear the heavier gloves. He was just trying to take advantage of the situation, to get every advantage he could, to be with him in the ring. Regardless that he didn?t make weight, regardless that he wasn?t gonna get the belts anymore, and someone like that you?re worried if they?re willing to take those steps ? what else can do they in the ring, as far as cheating? Not as far as talent, but as far as what are you willing to do? Apparently, you?re willing to do a lot. And that really worried me. As far as Nonito was willing to ? I kid you not ? if Concepcion came in at 125 at weigh in, Nonito would have still boxed. Because he still has the fight mentality, it doesn?t matter. I?m aware, you?re in the ring not matter what the odds or how he?s gonna cheat but in my mind I was worried about, is he gonna step on your foot and try to punch you? Is he gonna try to headbutt you on purpose? Elbow? Whatever he can do. All Concepcion wanted was to win.?
