LOS ANGELES ? No one has it better these days than Nonito Donaire Jr.
The Filipino Flash, the reigning WBO super bantamweight titlist, is basking on his Fighter of the Year awards from ESPN, Sports Illustrated and the Boxing Writers Association of America.
In July, he and his wife, Rachel, are expecting their first child.
And next Thursday, Donaire (30?1 20 KOs), who is ranked fifth in Ring Magazine?s pound-for-pound list, will continue his rise to the top when Top Rank formally announces his next bout against former Cuban gold medalist Guillermo Rigondeaux (11?0 8 KOs).
The 30-year-old Donaire is living the high life and contends he still has unfinished business.
?I?m honored I didn?t really expect any of this to come,? Donaire told the Asian Journal recently.
?All I wanted to do was fight. I wasn?t trying to prove anything. I just wanted to fight and I felt good. I wanted to get the momentum going heading into this year. There?s still two belts out there,? he added.
Donaire will be fighting for one of those belts on April 13 at Radio City Music Hall in New York.
Rigondeaux is the current WBA super bantamweight champion and highly regarded, despite having only 11 professional fights.
But this wasn?t the bout many expected for Donaire — at least not for now. Since defeating former four-division champion Jorge Arce in December, there was talk that Donaire?s next bout would be against undefeated WBA super bantamweight champion Abner Mares.
ESPN even reported in January that Golden Boy Promotions, the promoter for Mares, offered Donaire?s promoter Top Rank $3 million to make the fight.
?It was a BS contract,? said Donaire. ?We never heard anything from them (Golden Boy). We told them to send it to Cameron Dunkin (Donaire?s manager) but we never saw a contract on hand so we could edit it and give it back to them.?
The two promotion companies have a history feuding with each other so it?s hard to tell whom to believe.
?I want to fight Mares,? he added. ?I think Mares is a good fight for us but they got to play their little games and war. It?s the fans that are missing a good fight. I didn?t get into boxing to throw away that kind of dollars. You?re talking to a guy who used to make $400 a fight. For me, it?s not about the money.?
Heir apparent?
Many fans see the younger Donaire as the heir apparent to take over Pacquiao?s mantle, as the country?s best fighter.
Donaire is not having any of that talk.
?I?m not taking any mantle from anybody,? he said. ?I?m just doing my thing for my fans in the Philippines, family and the people who support me all around the world.
?I?m not anyone?s heir apparent,? he added. ?I let it be as it is if I can make fans happy that?s what it?s all about.?
Performance enhancing drugs
One of the reasons why so many mainstream publications listed Donaire as its top boxer in 2012 was not only for defeating four former champions last year, but also because of the Filipino fighter?s stance on performance enhancing drugs.
Donaire is the only fighter in the world who subjects himself to 24/7 voluntary random Olympic-style drug testing.
He said there is so many PEDs going on right now that he?s decided to make it a point to require his opponent agree to random drug testing as well.
?I?m not an activist but I do want to make it mandatory in all my fights,? he said. ?I support clean fighting.?
Donaire said it was hard not to be suspicious of Juan Manuel Marquez, after he defeated Pacquiao last December.
In that fight, the 39-year-old Marquez showed a cut physique and power he never displayed in his previous fights against Pacquiao.
?Just look at the situation differently,? he said. ?You can achieve his body by training and hard work but let me put it this way, I?m 30 and I can barely put a muscle on and I work hard. There is a suspicion, but I?m not accusing anyone of anything.?
Marquez did not test positive for any PEDs after the fight.
Still, Donaire credits Marquez for throwing a great punch.
?It doesn?t matter whether you?re on something or not, when you get hit with a punch like that you?re going to sleep,? he said referring to Marquez?s knockout punch.
?That was a mistake Manny made. He was eager to go out there and he got caught with a good punch that Marquez was practicing for a long time.?
Fatherhood
At 30, Donaire says he?s not only entering the prime of his career but also a new chapter in his life.
Right before his December bout against Arce, Donaire?s wife informed him that she was pregnant.
The couple had been trying for a year.
?When you?re expecting something as beautiful as a baby, I think it?s incredible and it?s amazing,? he said.
Rachel is in her fifth month. Last week, she had an ultrasound, which revealed a baby boy.
It won?t be Nonito III. His name will be Jarel Michael Donaire.
?The Jarel stands for Jun (Nonito?s nickname) And Rachel Everlasting Love and Michael after St. Michael, who I pray to before each fight,? he said.
When asked if his parents have reached out to him to congratulate him on the news, Donaire said he had not spoken to them.
?My focus is on my baby, my wife and my family,? he said. ?I need to make sure they are happy.?
Donaire is ready for the challenge of fatherhood.
?When you?re fighting for a world title, it?s exciting but there?s going to be nothing like seeing your baby jumping around and I think that?s the beauty of life,? he said.
