DONAIRE FIRED UP FOR DARCHINYAN REMATCH
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 06 Nov 2013
?I?m ready to fight anytime from today to Saturday.?
Thus declared multi-division champion Nonito ?The Filipino Flash? Donaire Jr. five days into his all-important rematch with Armenian Vic Darchinyan on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) in Corpus Christi, Texas.
?I?m in tip-top shape, focused since we started the camp,? the 30-year-old ex-super bantamweight belt owner in an overseas telephone interview with this writer yesterday. ?We had an excellent camp and I would like to thank my coaching staff for their marvelous job, especially my dad.?
The 30-year-old Donaire, who was born in Bohol and now based in Las Vegas was referring to father-trainer Nonito ?Dodong?Donaire Sr., who he had a estranged relation for several months but has resumed his role in his son?s team.
Donaire, the father of a three-month old boy Jarel with wife Rachel, said the loss he suffered at the hands of two-time Cuban Olympic gold medalist Guillermo Rigondeaux last April is already water under the bridge and he is ready to resume his quest for fame and glory through the sport he loves most.
?Yeah, I stopped looking back at what happened in the past and I?m now looking forward to winning more fights and bring honors, not only to myself, my family, but our country and people,? he stressed.
?We, my team prepared long and hard for this fight for that purpose and I don?t like to let pass the opportunity given again to me to achieve what I aimed for,? Donaire, who reached the finals of the Olympic trials for the United States boxing team to the 2000 Sydney Summer Games while still an amateur, added.
Donaire, one of the three pillars of what was a Filipino world champions triumvirate that included eight-division champion Manny Pacquiao and once flyweight titlist Brian Viloria, said.
Donaire rose to international fame after his sensational fifth round knockout victory over Darchinyan himself six years ago. That win, not only gifted him the IBF flyweight belt, it, too, was voted as the ?KO of the Year? and ??Upset of the Year? honors besides putting him in the top 5 of boxing?s best pound for-pound list.
?Junjun wants to being back the glory of that victory and that?s the reason why he underwent this grueling, punishing training regimen that saw our team pitch camp at the Top Rank Gym in Las Vegas, drove to Oxnard (California) and back to see to it that preparations are on track,? Nonito Sr., for his part disclosed.
?For 45 days, we trained here in Las Vegas, biyahe for five hours papuntang Oxnard sa Robert Garcia Boxing Academy where we stayed for several days then back again to Vegas,? Dodong recalled. ?It?s in Oxnard kasi ginagawa ang sparring segment of training.?
Nandun kasi ang mga magagaling na ka-spar, he said. ?The other aspect of preparations like doing the mitts and other gym activities, sa Top Rank Gym namin ginagawa,? he explained.
?Wala namang masyadong pinagbago sa training reginen. Kung ano ang ginagawa naming noong unang makalaban naming si Darchi, yun din ang ginagawa namin,? Dodong said. ?Junjun was very much at home sa mga ginagawa namin. That's why he responded well. Happy siya sa tingin ko.?
?Pakiusap lang naming sa mga kababayan naming dyan sa Pilipinas na ipagdasal si Junjun na manalo para din naman sa bayan ito,? Dodong said.
The Donaires training at Robert Gacia's gym in Oxnard, CA. Photo by Jhay Otamias.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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