ARUM SAYS THE DONAIRE-DARCHINYAN FIGHT IS BEING FINALIZED
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 31 Mar 2010
While WBA super flyweight interim champion Nonito ?The Filipino Flash? Donaire is beginning to show some concern over whom he fights next, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum says the classy former IBF/IBO flyweight champion will have a tune-up fight in May and will then face reigning WBC/WBA champion Vic Darchinyan on August 7 at the Home Depot in California.
Asked whether the Darchinyan deal was done since his promoter Gary Shaw recently said he hadn?t heard from Darchinyan?s manager Elias Nassar to whom he had forwarded the Donaire fight agreement, Arum replied ?I think so. I think so. Carl Moretti is handling it for us. It's just about done.?
Donaire , in an overseas telephone conversation with insidesports.ph, Standard Today and Viva Sports said ?I haven?t heard anything and it's been quite a while.? However, Donaire doesn?t wish to be caught unprepared and informed us that he began training at the Undefeated Gym in San Carlos, California even though he didn?t know definitely what was lined up for him.
He said Darchinyan who had claimed after his last title defense that Donaire was scared to give him a rematch was ?just egging me on and using me like a bait and this is not good for me.?
After scoring a twelve round unanimous decision in a title defense against inexperienced Mexican Rodrigo Guerrero, Darchinyan bragged ?He (Donaire) is scared. Here are two belts. If you already knocked him (Darchinyan) out why not come and get these two belts.?
Donaire told us earlier ?he keeps talking but there?s no offer on the table and Cameron Dunkin (Donaire?s manager) knows that I?m moving up in weight and I?m not looking back. I announced let?s make it happen but they didn?t. I said I?ll fight him because I want those two belts that he?s holding? after Donaire took the two belts Darchinyan held before, away from him.
At the same time ?The Filipino Flash? made it clear that he needs to fight and fight somebody good and emphasized ?I want to fight at bantamweight when I fight the next time around. I?ll move up in weight because it makes me feel better, I feel stronger and I am following the footsteps that I want to follow.?
Prior to his last fight at the Las Vegas Hilton on the Top Rank ?Pinoy Power III/Latin Fury 13? fight card in which he ripped late substitute Manuel ?Chango? Vargas in three rounds, Donaire said he wanted to follow the blueprint laid out by pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao by moving up in weight and winning titles in different weight divisions although he made it clear that he looked up to Pacquiao and didn?t wish to be compared to the boxing icon who is one of a kind.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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