PINOY PRIDE XXX: DONAIRE WANTS MORE
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 10 Mar 2015
CEBU CITY ? For the past thirteen years Nonito Donaire,Jr has compiled a resume that most boxers can only dream of. He made his presence felt in five weight categories and also garnered Ring magazine?s Knockout of the Year and Upset of the Year for 2007, Knockout of the Year for 2011 and BWAA and Ring?s Fighter of the Year for 2012.
But a boxer?s fortunes can change overnight. Five months after losing his featherweight crown to Jamaican Nicholas Walters, the Filipino Flash is back in the country of his birth for his rebuilding process. He will be going back down to 122 lbs for his March 28 battle against William Prado of Brazil at the Araneta Coliseum.
Donaire is also working on adjusting his style. He told Cebu sportswriters during Tuesday?s press conference that he wants to stay long in boxing and he realizes that he will have to approach future fights with a different mentality. ?I became too dependent on my power.? Donaire said, ?My instinct was to fight back and try to get back at my opponent right away when I got hit.?
Donaire realizes that a smarter fight would have spelled the difference against the power-punching Walters; a sentiment shared by his father and trainer Nonito,Sr. The elder Donaire said that he reminded his son that he was only human, he can get knocked out if he gets hit really hard. For the next couple of weeks they will be working on rebooting his technique, remove bad habits and relying too much on power.
L-R: Albert Pagara, Donnie Nietes, ALA President Michael Aldeguer and Nonito Donaire Jr pose during Tuesday's presscon of 'Pinoy Pride XXX' at the Rajah Park Hotel in uptown Cebu. Photo by Dong Secuya.
Standing in his way is the Brazilian Prado, who lost to fighters ? Paulus Ambunda and Scott Quigg - who would go on to win world title belts. But Donaire knows he should not take his opponent for granted. ?I know they want to make a name by beating me.? He stated.
The 32 year old Donaire also feels that he can achieve more. He alluded to the biblical Tower of Babel as a metaphor. Just like the people who wanted to reach the heavens by building that tower, Donaire said that he still wants to continue reaching for more success, accolades and world titles.
In fact, he is not ruling out the possibility of facing again the two who have recently beaten him ? Nicholas Walters and Guillermo Rigondeaux. Donaire is currently training here in Cebu at the ALA Gym.
Donaire feels very much at home in Cebu. He is fluent in the local dialect and Cebuano was the language of choice for the press conference held at the Rajah Park Hotel.
PINOY PRIDE 30: D-DAY will be headlined by Donnie ?Ahas? Nietes vs Gilberto Parra of Mexico for the ALA gym boxer?s defense of his WBO world light flyweight title. ?Prince? Albert Pagara will defend his IBF Inter-continental super bantamweight title against another Mexican, Rodolfo Hernandez.
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