HBO AND SHOWTIME WANT NONITO DONAIRE IN JULY
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 21 Mar 2012
HBO and Showtime want to feature WBO super bantamweight champion Nonito ?The Filipino Flash? Donaire in a fight card in July.
That?s the word from Top Rank promoter Bob Arum who told the Manila Standard that Donaire and his wife Rachel were in his offices in Las Vegas today (Tuesday).
Arum indicated they talked about Donaire?s next fight even as he revealed that HBO and Showtime were ?both talking about a July date.?
As of now the opponent being considered is former world champion and classy boxer Cristian Mijares even as Arum scuttled suggestions by promoter Fernando Beltran that Donaire take on featherweight champion Orlando Salido sometime after Donaire faces Jorge ?Travieso? Arce perhaps in November and hopefully wins.
Arum wants Donaire to fight at super bantamweight for some time as Donaire himself has said he wants to unify the title by facing talented southpaw and WBC champion Toshiaki Nishioka of Japan in a four-fight program he wishes to fulfill this year.
Donaire had his first fight this year when he won a comfortable twelve round unanimous decision over former WBO super bantamweight champion Wilfredo Vazquez Jr in San Antonio, Texas last February 4.
He had previously won the WBC/WBO bantamweight title with a spectacular 2nd round knockout of Mexican veteran Fernando ?Cochulito? Montiel on February 19, 2011 at the Mandalay Bay Resort Hotel and Casino and then scored a twelve round shutout in his first title defense against undefeated two-division champion Omar Andres Narvaez of Argentina on October 22, 2011 at The Theater in New York?s Madison Square Garden. Donaire then moved up in weight and captured the WBO super bantamweight title.
The 29 year old who is ranked No. 4 in the Ring Magazine pound for pound list behind ?Fighter of the Decade? Manny Pacquiao, undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr and middleweight champion Sergio ?Maravilla? Martinez is expected in Manila on Sunday for the 12th Annual Gabriel ?Flash? Elorde awards at the Dusit Thani hotel where congressman Pacquiao will be the guest of honor and speaker.
Mijares is a 30 year old southpaw with a record of 44-6-2 with 20 knockouts and is coming off back to back TKO victories. He is the former WBO bantamweight champion but has moved up to super bantamweight in recent fights.
He scored a 3rd round TKO over Jonathan Perez (19-8, 16 KO?s) on September 10, 2011 followed by another 3rd round TKO over Alejandro Valdez (25-6-2, 19 KO?s) on December 17, 2011.
Mijares is scheduled to face another former WBO bantamweight champion Cruz Carbajal for the WBC International silver title on March 31.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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