EXPECT DONAIRE AND DARCHINYAN TO BE AT THEIR BEST
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 07 Nov 2013
Nonito ?Filipino Flash? Donaire Jr. and Armenian Vic Darchinyan both promised to be at their best when they collide anew Saturday (Sunday in Manila) at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Nothing is at stake in their 10-round showdown but Donaire and Darchinyan will try to erase each other both seeking redemption, the former for his 12-round loss to Guillermo Rigondeaux last April that cost him his world super-bantamweight title, and the latter for the fifth round knockout the Filipino dealt him the first time they met six years ago.
?Yes, I have been waiting for this for six years, I trained good for this fight and I?m very prepared,? Darchinyan declared during the media conference call held Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila) to promote the card promoted by Top Rank that will see U.S. Olympian Vanes ?The Nightmare? Martirosyan and Demetrius Andrade dispute the WBO junior-middleweight title in the 12 round main event.
?Like Vic said, we are going to bring out best and it is going to be very exciting for the fans and I am looking forward to it,? the 30-year-old Donaire, for his part, said. ?I have prepared like I always have. I give hundreds and hundreds of hours in the gym and I wasn?t to show everyone what I can do in the ring,? Darchinyan said.
?I know Vic is a very dangerous opponent, one I can?t overlook,? Donaire, adding that having a newborn first baby boy named Jarel with wife Rachel and having reconciled with his father, Nonito Donaire Sr. would be an added motivation for him to win convincingly again.
?It has been great having my father around,? Donaire, who had an almost three years spat with Nonito Sr., said in answer to a question.
?I am getting back to the old me ? a smarter me ? not just someone getting ready to brawl.?
?That?s something we are trying to get back. He (Nonito Sr. or ?Dodong? to friends and relatives) doesn?t have title in the corner.
He holds the mitts for me in the gym and he is involved with everyone putting the game plan together,? he added. ?Things happen for a reason and when we had our baby, I realized my dad was always there, so I wanted to reach out,? he recalled.
?Coincidentally, it was the Darchinyan fight and we got settled and it just worked out.?
Donaire assured that Dodong will be in his corner during the fight as he had always been from the time he laced his boxing glove while still an amateur on the way to fame when he fashioned out that sensational KO win over Darchinyan, catapulting himself to the top five in boxing?s pound-for-pound list.
Donaire said that the shoulder injury that bothered him in his loss to Rigondeaux had been taken cared of and will not bother him again this time.
?The one I had surgery on was my right shoulder. I had two tears on it and after the fight, I took care of it. A week after the fight, I took care of it,? he assured.
Like Donaire, Darchinyan also assured mediamen that that his first ever defeat and via stoppage at that has already totally been forgotten.
Besides Martiropsyan, Andrade, Donaire and Darchinyan, also in the conference call were Top Rank bossman Bob Arum, the Armenian trainer Robert Garcia and manager Frank Espinoza and Roman ?Rocky? Martinez, who will be defending his WBO junior lightweight crown.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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