MANILA, Philippines – The long-awaited matchup between Filipino champion Nonito Donaire Jr. and Mexican slugger Jorge Arce will take place in December.
Bob Arum of Top Rank was quoted as saying yesterday that the fight, shelved a couple of times before, will happen at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, and not in Mexico as previously planned.
?It?s a done deal,? Arum told boxing analyst.
Arum, however, has yet to officially announce the fight set Dec. 15 or exactly a week after Manny Pacquiao faces Juan Manuel Marquez at the MGM Grand.
Donaire spoke about the Arce fight last week in Manila, saying the reason it has never happened is because Arce is asking for ?too much money.?
Then he gave Arum two weeks to set up the fight or he will just rest the remainder of the year. It?s possible that Arce finally got what he wanted as long as the fight is held outside of Mexico.
Donaire, the WBO super-bantamweight champion, doesn?t think that the 33-year-old Mexican is afraid of him because ?he?s a veteran? and so ?it has to be the money.?
Arce, the former bantamweight champion, said he?s only asking for ?what the fight is worth.?
?He has never faced a fighter of my qualities. He has never faced anybody with guts, heart. Knock me down and I get up. I have never given up and have no respect for him,? he told www.boxingscene.com.
Meanwhile, Pacquiao trained hard at the Wild Card Gym yesterday and impressed his chief trainer, Freddie Roach, with his condition.
Pacquiao spent three weeks in General Santos City, and will be in Los Angeles for the final phase of his training for the Dec. 8 fight with Marquez.
It?s up to Roach if he wants Pacquiao to begin sparring today (a Tuesday in LA) or give Pacquiao a couple more days to shake off the jetlag.
