TOP RANK PLANS DONAIRE-ARCE SHOWDOWN IN MANILA
By Dong Secuya
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 12 Sep 2008
LAS VEGAS -- Filipino IBF/IBO Flyweight Champion Nonito Donaire, Jr. will face Mexican star Jorge 'Travieso' Arce in Manila if both Donaire and Arce hurdle their next assignments as planned by Bob Arum's Top Rank which promotes both Donaire and Arce, Donaire's father-trainer Nonito Sr. has informed PhilBoxing.com.
Arce challenges the dangerous WBA interim superfly champion Rafael 'El Torito' Concepcion of Panama on Mexican Independence Day Monday, Septermber 15, in Mexico City while Donaire will defend his flyweight crown against mandatory challenger Moruti Mthalane of South Africa scheduled on Nov. 1 at the Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino here.
A Donaire-Arce showdown is expected to be a blockbuster event between two charismatic champions.
Donaire, looking fit and trim during a 4-hour pictorial yesterday afternoon by ace Top Rank photographer Cris Farina at the Top Rank Gym here, also bared Bob Arum's big plans about his career who he said is grooming him to be the next Filipino boxing star next to Manny Pacquiao.
Donaire said that "if all goes well, he will eventually challenge WBA/WBC superfly champion Cristian Mijares... and I love that fight to happen."
Donaire also said he is ready to face Mthalane. "I've seen tapes of his fights and I'm prepared and ready to face him on Nov. 1."
Donaire, whose last fight was 10 months ago against Luis Maldonado at Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut where he won by 8th round TKO, had a series of cancelled fights since that culminated in his leaving his previous promoter Gary Shaw and signing with Bob Arum's Top Rank.
Filipino world champion Nonito Donaire, Jr. (L) receives a make-up from his wife Rachel while Top Rank photographer Cris Farina looks on during yesterday pictorial on Donaire at the Top Rank Gym in Las Vegas.
Bob Arum, who loves to float names and places for the upcoming fights of his boxers, however has yet to build a concrete date for Donaire whose original schedule was to fight in the undercard of cancelled Nov. 1 Margarito-Clottey fight at Honda Civic Center in Anaheim, CA. There were also apprehension by some quarters whether Donaire, at this point in time, could actually carry and headline a card at the world famous Mandalay Bay.
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