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Former IBF Flyweight Champion Nonito Donaire Jr. has made his way into the top ten pound-for-pound discussion and will look to make his mark in his second weight class beginning this Saturday night as he takes on tough contender Rafael Concepcion at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Unable to entice any of the other belt holders at 112 pounds into a unification match, Donaire and his promoter Top Rank have decided to make the move to the 115-pound super flyweight division. “The only reason I was there [at 112 pounds] was to unify the belts,” said Donaire. “That was my goal.” It was pretty clear from the time that Donaire shocked Vic Darchinyan to claim the IBF title in 2007 that he was not going to be able to get any of the other champions to leave their home turf and he would have to move up in search of bigger fights.
In moving up to super flyweight, Donaire (21-1, 14 KOs) of San Mateo, California is really just returning to his more natural weight class. Prior to the Darchinyan bout, Donaire was campaigning at super flyweight and fought regularly at bantamweight as well. “It is just that 112 was taking a toll on me,” admitted the former champion. “It is better for me to lose less weight.”
If making the flyweight limit was taking a toll on Donaire, he did not show any signs as he completely dismantled the previously undefeated contender Raul Martinez in front of a raucous crowd at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines this past April. The Martinez bout was crucial for Donaire, as he solidified his status as the world’s premier flyweight and made his entry into the pound-for-pound ranks on the biggest stage of his career with an empathic victory. “It was important,” said Donaire of the April fight. “Either I would bust or I would make it – I made it.”
Donaire drew the ire of some Filipino boxing fans when he scored the March 2008 rematch between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez 114-113 for the Mexican while serving as a commentator for Philippine television network Solar Sports. Message boards were quickly flooded by angry Pacquiao fans who objected to Donaire’s scoring of the undeniably close bout. However, if the paid attendance for his title defense against Martinez was any indication, Donaire’s popularity is in great condition with the Filipino boxing community. Now Donaire is set to tackle a new market as he headlines his first event in Las Vegas.
When the initial plan of holding the August card outdoors at AT&T Park in San Francisco, California quickly dissolved the event eventually settled at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Donaire’s drawing power will be put to the ultimate test in Vegas. The boxing mecca, as it has been known for decades, has been host to several events of late that have failed miserably at the box office. Numerous events that normally would have been good sellers have tanked in today’s tough economy. For many fighters over the years, headlining in Vegas was a sign to a fighter that they have “made it.” There normally would be added pressure to carry the bill in Las Vegas, especially in the current marketplace, but Donaire sees it a different way. “The biggest pressure was being in front of thousands of Filipinos and headlining,” said Donaire. “That was the biggest pressure I had heading into a fight.”
Opposing Donaire this weekend will be the formidable Rafael Concepcion (13-3-1, 8 KOs) of Panama City, Panama. Concepcion holds a knockout victory over previously unbeaten Filipino contender A.J. Banal, but is best remembered for his war with Jorge Arce in September of last year. Concepcion went into Arce’s home country and gave the Mexican warrior a hellacious battle before he remained on his stool at the close of the ninth round of their fight of the year candidate. Concepcion, currently ranked WBA #4/WBO #9 has rattled off two victories since the bruising fight against Arce, but it remains to be seen what that war took out of the Panamanian.
Their twelve-round bout on Saturday will be for the Interim WBA Light Flyweight title, a title Concepcion held before losing it to Arce last year. There are currently two other champions recognized by the WBA at 115 pounds. Former Donaire rival Vic Darchinyan holds the “unified” title and Nobuo Nashiro, who has a title defense scheduled in September against Hugo Cazares, holds the “regular” title. Donaire does not concern himself too much with the title confusion. “I am fighting for the interim title, which opens doors for fighting for other titles,” said Donaire. “For me it is just a fight. I wanted to get a fight at this weight class. It is a step up and it is a chance. I love chances.”
Donaire, who held camp at Undisputed Boxing near his home in San Mateo under the tutelage of former title challenger Jonathan Penalosa and his brother and former world champion Dodie Boy, may just be making a layover at super flyweight on his way to bantamweight. “I don’t know what Top Rank or [my manager] Cameron Dunkin have in mind for me, but 118 is my weight class,” said Donaire. Whether he campaigns at super fly or bantamweight, there should be plenty of foes for Donaire to elevate his name against. Arce, Fernando Montiel, Cristian Mijares, Joseph Agbeko and the Darchiyan rematch are all potentially big fights between to the two weight classes. He just has to beat Concepcion first.
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