DONAIRE PRAISED BY OPPONENT’S AGENT
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 15 May 2007
The agent of journeyman Kevin Hudgins has praised Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire Jr, who scored an impressive first round knockout victory over Hudgins of Pensacola, Florida at the Reno Events Center in Reno, Nevada last Saturday.
Dante Ortiz who is also the co-manager of Filipino minimum weight Florante Condes who fights IBF champion Muhammad Rachman in a mandatory title showdown in Jakarta on June 16 said he worked Hudgins corner as a cut man but didn’t have to do anything since the fight ended at 2:28 of the very first round.
In an email to Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today, Ortiz said Donaire was “a real good boxer, is sharp and has fast hands.” Ortiz said he went to the Filipino’s corner after the fight and congratulated his father and trainer Nonito Donaire Sr and told him that his son had “ real potential to be a world champion.”
He said well-known matchmaker Chris Middendorf was also very impressed with Donaire.
With his victory Donaire earned a crack at IBF and IBO flyweight champion Vic “The Raging Bull” Darchinyan of Australia with the fight scheduled for July 7.
Ortiz said Hudgins was a durable fighter and had come off a “very tough fight” against a top prospect Juan Mercedes who had a record of 16 wins with 12 knockouts. Hudgins had been stopped only once earlier in his pro career despite being often matched against top prospects including undefeated Abner Mares who had a record f 12-0 with 8 KO’s and Raul Martinez, 18-0, 12 KO’s.
Darchinyan who has a record of 28-0 with 22 knockouts had previously beaten Nonito’s brother Glenn Donaire by a sixth round technical decision and another Filipino Diosdado Gabi over whom Darchinyan scored an eighth round TKO on March 3, 2006.
Donaire who hails from General Santos City, the hometown of Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao, is rated No. 3 by the WBC, No. 7 by the WBA and No. 6 by the WBO.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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