Jorge Arce has won titles in four different divisions and an interim belt in another, and on Saturday, he’ll face three-division champ and current junior featherweight titleholder Nonito Donaire of the Philippines (HBO, 10 p.m. ET/PT).
Arce, a popular Mexican brawler, will be looking to accomplish a new, seemingly impossible mission. Donaire, who has an edge in nearly every measurable aspect, will be stepping into the ring as a huge favorite. Still, it’s conceivable that Arce’s experience, heart and slugging style could overcome those advantages.
Here are five keys for Arce against Donaire:
Bake and shake Arce is a slugger who loves to trade, but against a larger and more powerful opponent, his best bet will be a change in strategy. The ideal situation would be to attack in spurts, punishing Donaire at close range, then moving around and using the entire ring to frustrate and disorient his opponent.
Think and move Although Donaire hasn’t knocked out any of his past three opponents, the annihilating power in his left hand is still there. It just so happens that he has faced opponents who have been wise enough to avoid standing in front of him, and Arce must follow suit: Move to Donaire’s opposite hand, close the right side entirely, don’t fall into his trap and be sure to keep the radar locked looking out for that left.
Close encounter During the sixth and seventh rounds against Wilfredo Vazquez Jr., Donaire showed how uncomfortable he feels when fighting in enclosed spaces. And it’s for those moments that Arce should save his energy. He needs to hermetically seal his guard and abandon his defense only when he has managed to trap his rival in short range. Then, and only then, Arce should unleash everything he has, which would at least give him a chance to achieve the victory few believe he’s capable of.
I’ll do it my way Fernando Montiel chose to slug it out with Donaire as his basic strategy, and the result was catastrophic. He wound up knocked out, convulsing on the canvas as the referee finished his count. Arce must keep that image fresh in his mind and avoid making the same mistake. Under no circumstances should he accept a toe-to-toe proposition, except under his own terms. Donaire’s left hand needs a lot of space in order to be effective, and in that short range it’s usually rendered useless.
Yes we can Arce has a huge heart, as he has proved many times before. This time he’ll also have to maximize his courage, motivation, trust and belief in himself to the hilt. When Arce decided to change trainers, switching to Tiburcio Garcia because he felt Nacho Beristain was overlooking him, it seemed to be a commitment to bringing to bear all of his mental focus on this enormous challenge.
