Ace Freeman caught up with the ?Filipino Flash?, rising pound-for-pound star Nonito Donaire Jr. who took the time out of his busy training camp to catch up with FightFan.com ahead of his July 7 unification bout against Jeffrey Mathebula set for HBO?s Boxing After Dark!
FF: Nonito you are one of the most popular boxers in the world with regard to the lower weight classes that often don?t get the press they deserve. Can you talk a little bit about why boxing fans have become so drawn to you as a fighter from those lesser known weight classes and why your popularity continues to grow?
ND: I?m honest about who I am and where I come from. I?m very appreciative of everything I have. Watching me fight I think you see power, speed and excitement. I?m not afraid to fight anyone out there. I think that?s what the boxing fans appreciate and why they like to watch me fight. They want to see knockouts and I?m capable of those big one punch knockouts.
My Fil-Am (Filipino American) heritage does create pressure but that can be turned into a positive when it?s motivating. I need to train hard and work hard and hopefully inspire children and fellow Fil-Am?s who need motivation. They see me who was a kid who never had anything and was told I wouldn?t amount to anything and now I?m one of the top fighters in boxing. I want to show them that anything is possible if you work hard. There is pressure but I?ve turned it in to something that makes me move my legs and move my arms and train harder than ever!
