HOUSTON ? Jorge Arce of Mexico said on Wednesday that he is going to pull off a surprise much in the same way Juan Manuel Marquez did over the weekend in Las Vegas against Manny Pacquiao.
“I am the new surprise,” said Arce as he aims for Donaire’s World Boxing Organization superbantamweight crown, stressing that he is out to continue Mexico’s winning ways against the Philippines in what he described as “the biggest fight of my life.”
Arce, a pro since 1996, said facing a fighter of Donaire’s caliber forced him to train like no other.
“I?m fighting the best-pound-for- pound fighter in my weight and he?s a great friend of mine. I respect him and because of the respect I have I prepared like I never prepared before for a guy.”
But there’s one thing Arce swore will take place come fight night.
“I want to tell you that what happened last Saturday to Pacquiao-Marquez is gonna happen again,” said the 33-year-old Arce, who has a 61-6-2 win-loss-draw record with 46 knockouts.
Donaire won’t have anything of Arce’s bold remarks and guaranteed everyone that he will turn up the heat when he answers the bell.
“I didn’t know Houston was this cold,” said Donaire, referring to the near-freezing weather.
At noontime, the temperature registered a reading of 10 degrees Celsius after dipping to as low of 4 degrees in the morning.
“But I can guarantee you this Saturday it will be hot in here,” said Donaire, who parades a 30-1-0 slate with 19 knockouts.
Turning serious, Donaire said he is not taking Arce for granted even though ringsiders are of the belief that he will end up either down and out or cut up badly.
“One thing that I do have with Arce is respect. Arce is a tremendous fighter. He?s been there for a longest time. He?s a legend. And to me, I will train, and I am prepared for everything because the fact that I respect the man. When I do respect somebody, I want to fight them. When I want to fight them that means I have to train my body for everything, for every situation, and I?m ready for that. And I know Arce is ready for that.”
