DONAIRE TO FIGHT WINNER OF IBF ELIMINATOR
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 01 Jul 2008
International Boxing Federation flyweight champion Nonito ?The Filipino Flash? Donaire will fight the winner of the IBF eliminator between No. 6 ranked Moruti ?Baby Face Mithalane (21-1, 15 KO?s) and No. 14 Hussein Hussein (31-4, 24 KO?s) set for July 5 in South Africa.
IBF Championship Committee Chairman Lindsey Tucker told Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today that the winner of that fight ?will be the mandatory for Donaire.? Tucker was responding to Top Rank promoter Bob Arum? s statement that he planned to match Donaire in a mandatory title defense amidst plans for the talented Filipino to move up to super flyweight and battle in what he described as ?a really big fight? against WBC No. 1 Jorge Arce.
Tucker revealed that negotiations for the Donaire mandatory title defense would start on July 7 and the two side ?will have 30 days to reach an agreement.? If they don?t then it would go to a purse bid.
Hussein Hussein was scheduled to fight Donaire for the title in an aborted promotion in Dubai last April and would get that chance later this year should be prevail over Mithalane.
Arum said that ?next to Manny we really believe that Donaire is the best fighter out of the Philippines.? He said he was also ?developing a young man that I am really high on because he is young and his time will come ? Bernabe Concepcion. I think he is an extraordinary talent? adding that with Pacquiao, Donaire and Concepcion ?we have three great fighters.?
Arum of course failed to mention really talented Filipino prospects who are promoted by Golden Boy such as undefeated AJ ?Bazooka? Banal who fights Rafael Concepcion of Panama for the WBA super flyweight title on July 26 in Cebu City as well as WBO bantamweight champion Gerry Penalosa and world-rated Rey ?Boom Boom? Bautista, Z ?The Dream? Gorres and Milan Milendo.
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