Perhaps it?s a sign of his rising status, but Nonito ?Filipino Flash? Donaire will make the first defense of his WBC and WBO bantamweight titles from a new locale this Saturday.
?When I was 10, I didn?t know I?d be boxing, much less fighting in a main event one day in New York City,? the San Leandro native said with an ear-to-ear smile. ?I?m just so thankful for everything and all the support that?s gotten me here.?
Forty years after Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier had their names displayed on the Madison Square Garden marquee, Donaire (26-1, 18 KOs) will be the headline attraction at the self-proclaimed ?World?s Most Famous Arena,? where he fights Argentina?s Omar ?El Hurac?n? Narvaez (35-0-2, 19 KOs) at The Theater.
?I had a Tweet from Robert Guerrero the other day stating that everybody?s going to be gunning for you, so you need to work hard to stay on top,? Donaire said. ?That meant a lot to me, because he?s a great friend … and it reminded me now that I?m on top and everyone?s going to try to gun for me.?
