Flyweight

Nonito "Filipino Flash" Donaire (28-1, 18 KO)  is putting his WBO super bantamweight title on the line against the much taller and bigger Jeffrey Mathebula (26-3-2, 14 KO) of South Africa, the current IBF super bantamweight titleholder.

The HBO-televised event will take place at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. on Saturday night. Both fighters will be defending their titles for the first time.

According to Donaire, he wants to take the challenge against taller and bigger opponents as he moves up to higher weight classes. Most of Donaire's past opponents were either shorter or smaller as he attempts to face a much taller and bigger opponent on fight night.

Donaire stands 5'7" (1.70 m) with a reach of 68" (173 cm) while Mathebula stands 5'11" with a reach of 70" (178cm).

"The motivation is in my heart to work toward my goals and my dreams," Donaire said via ESPN. "To be a unified champion, then challenge anyone out there and make it undisputed is a dream, and hopefully I can make it happen."

He said he will make fun with this fight as it will be the first time he will face a taller and bigger opponent. It will be a his biggest challenge, he added.

Mathebula, who weighed 121.8 pounds during the weigh-in ceremonies, said he will use his height and reach advantage to score a win over Donaire, who weighed 121.4 pounds.

“I'm confident because I'm going to deliver the goods. I'm going to win Saturday,” he said via ABS-CBN News.

Donaire, who is ranked No.4 in Ring's pound-for-pound listing, is confident he will beat Mathebula, but fight observers say he is risking his title with the South African as he would find himself experimenting with a taller and bigger opponent, not to mention Mathebula's advantage in reach.

Supporting cards for the Donaire vs. Mathebula showdown with TV coverage include: Kelly Pavlik vs. Will Rosinski (super middleweight), Cameron Kreal vs. Anthony Flores (super lightweight) and Joe Wellis vs. Andy Ruiz (heavyweight)

According to a report by Dr. Ed de la Vega of Philboxing, fight officials for the Saturday night boxing event include referee Pat Russel of San Diego and judges Jonathan Davis of Buena Park, Calif., Deon Duarte of South Africa and Steve Morrow of Hollister, Calif.

WBO super bantamweight champion, Nonito Donaire (28-1, 18 knockouts), aka the Filipino Flash, is back in the ring this Saturday, July 7th, against South African IBF super bantamweight champion Jeffrey Mathebula (26-3-2, 14 knockouts) at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California.

This world title unification fight can be seen live on HBO Boxing After Dark at 10:00 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT).

The HBO Boxing After Dark commentator team will include: Bob Papa, Max Kellerman and Roy Jones Jr.

Mathebula, from Johannesburg, goes by the moniker "Marvelous Mongoose." He is coming off of a close split decision win over his fellow country man Takalani Ndlovu, a former champion who defeated him two years ago.

Mathebula has only fought outside of his native land four times. Should he defeat Donaire Saturday, he will become the first South African fighter to be a unified world champion.

Mathebula has been listed as being as tall as 5'10". The press photos where he is standing next to Donaire make it evident that he will be towering over him on Saturday night.

It will be interesting to see how Donaire deals with fighting a much taller opponent this time around.

Donaire is widely regarded as one of the top-pound-for-pound fighters in the world. Many publications have him as high as #3 or #4 on rankings list.

Nonito is also the most wanted man in the 122 lbs and even 126 lbs weight division, all while not even having fought above 122 lbs so far. This will be his fourth time fighting on HBO.

Also on the televised portion of HBO's Boxing After Dark will be heavy handed former middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik. Pavlik will be taking on Edwin Rodriguez, replacing the previously scheduled Brandon Rios vs. Mauricio Herrera fight.

Friday Afternoon at the Weigh-In:

All fighters made weight. Donaire weighed in at 121.4 lbs, and Mathebula 121.8 lbs.

Both fighters meant business as they stared each other down, but there definitely is a lot more respect than the intense bad blood in Donaire's last fight against Vazquez back in February. Donaire had to look upward to stare down Mathebula, displaying the significant height advantage of the South African champion.

Kelly Pavlik and Edwin Rosinsky both weighed in at 168.2 lbs.

King J will be live ringside at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California and will be updating his blog with breaking details from the fight night. Continue to check back in for additional real time updates and real time photos. Follow King J on Twitter at: @KingJ323

Every utterance, every quick syllable that falls from Nonito Donaire’s mouth when it comes to fellow Filipino fighter Manny Pacquiao comes with a heavy dose of deference. “The Filipino Flash” knows where he stands when it comes to his elder.

But who’s to say Donaire can’t one day stop the Philippines as Pacquiao does each time he fights? Who’s to say Donaire can’t be as beloved as the future Hall of Fame great?

Donaire can be.

For one, Donaire is the future of the sport. He’s among the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world under the age of 30, joining Tim Bradley, Andre Ward and Chad Dawson. And while Donaire is on the upward portion of his career arc, Pacquiao seemed to be slowly, gradually, spiraling downward.

There are some considerable cracks in Pacquiao’s once-invulnerable veneer. Most agree he beat Bradley in his last fight, but Pac-Man came under heavy criticism for his performance against Juan Manuel Marquez in their third bout, with most observers feeling Pacquiao lost.

Meanwhile, Donaire keeps surging forward. The WBO junior bantamweight champion won a split-decision over Wilfredo Vazquez Jr., though Donaire clearly dominated the fight. He’s stopped four of his six opponents and his stunning knockout of Fernando Montiel in the second round was the 2011 Knockout of the Year.

Pacquiao hasn’t stopped an opponent since Miguel Cotto in 2009, and hasn’t won by a devastating knockout ever since he vanquished Ricky Hatton in May 2009.

We hear what sounds like rehearsed comments from Pacquiao these days. It's as if he’s become bored with the sport, the words becoming stale and sterile, more like someone who’s afraid to say what’s really on his mind.

The Filipino Flash has an effervescent personality, and his wife, Rachel, is among the most beautiful and outspoken spouses in boxing. With Rachel by his side, Nonito gets an added boost in the crossover cache.

Donaire is also at a stage where he’s very tangible. Whereas success has built a wide berth of insulation between Pacquiao and his fanbase, Donaire still has that luxury of being able to wade into a crowd and sign autographs and take pictures with fans. Pacquiao has reached the stage where his entourage is the size of a small army, whisking everyone away that comes near.

The day is coming, and coming fast when Donaire unseats the great Pacquiao. The gap between the two was once as wide as the Grand Canyon. That's not the case now.

Given some time, and a good push by promoter Top Rank, who represents both Pacquiao and Donaire, the Filipino Flash can take his rightful place at the top of the Filipino boxing world. He’s played the deferential role long enough; it’s now time to take the mantle Pacquiao once held.

South African Jeffrey Mathebula's height and reach present a new challenge for Nonito Donaire, but the "Filipino Flash" is one of the sport's truly special performers. This WBO-IBF super bantamweight unification clash will be yet another opportunity for Donaire to exhibit his brilliance.

Mathebula is 5'10", and his length will be the biggest obstacle for Donaire to overcome. Mathebula is a 33-year-old veteran who has demonstrated the ability to utilize his jab as a primary weapon.

Against the speedy Donaire, this will be a must. Donaire's combination of speed and power makes him pound-for-pound perhaps the most dangerous fighter in the world.

Many boxing fans don't pay enough attention to the smaller weight classes. That tendency could have them miss out on a spectacular fighter like Donaire, and this battle with Mathebula should be a competitive one.

The fight is the main event of a HBO doubleheader that also features former middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik in action

Here are the specifics for what will be a very interesting bout.

Fight Time: 10 p.m. ET; Home Depot Center, Carson, California

TV Coverage: HBO

Live Stream: HBO Go (Paid Service)

Preview:

The Book on Donaire

Donaire stands just over 5'5", and like another great Filipino fighter (Manny Pacquiao), he has climbed in weight, experiencing little to no fall-off in performance. He began his career at 115 pounds. He will be at 122 pounds for this fight, which is not a huge jump, but Donaire could continue to rise.

He is 28-1, and that lone blemish came in his second professional fight.

He has lightning-quick hands, excellent footwork and wonderful mechanics. Donaire is truly one of the best fighters of the last seven years, but he needs a signature win to validate that. Take a look at this video of Donaire's top eight knockouts and his spectacular KO of Fernando Montiel:

Mathebula isn't exactly that type of opponent, but he should be the final stepping stone to that showcase. One question for Donaire is whether his power will follow him to the higher weight classes.

This will be his third fight at the super bantamweight level, and he didn't score a KO in the previous two fights. In fact, his last fight with the skilled Wilfredo Vazquez, Jr. was a split-decision. I had Donaire winning, but it was his most competitive battle in years.

At 29 years old, Donaire still has plenty left in the tank, but he knew the accolades and big paydays would have to come in the higher weight classes. While he looked virtually unbeatable as a flyweight, things could get presumably tougher at super bantamweight and featherweight if he continues to ascend.

There are a few potentially great fights on the horizon for Donaire. Abner Mares is one potential opponent, and recently I've become intrigued with featherweight phenom Gary Russell, Jr.

Russell, Jr. discusses the prospects of fighting Donaire and a few others after his recent TKO win over Christopher Perez:

Either of those fighters could put on an explosive show with Donaire. But first, he must take on Mathebula, and that will be no simple task.

The Book on Mathebula

The man known as the "Mongoose" is no paper champion. He is the current and newly crowned IBF super bantamweight king. He decisioned Takalani Ndlovu in March to earn the title. You can see that fight here:

The most unique thing about Mathebula is his considerable length for the low weight-classes. He has the height to be a welterweight or even a middleweight at 5'10". He uses a nice jab, and he throws fairly accurate combinations on the inside.

The great equalizer for speed is an accurate jab, and Mathebula has that. But being accurate with the jab is not as easy when your opponent possesses the lateral movement Donaire has.

Mathebula isn't a big puncher. He has stopped only 14 of his opponents, but he owns a solid 26-3-2 record. One troubling thing about Mathebula and this fight is that this will be his first fight outside of South Africa.

Donaire is obviously the bigger name, and the crowd will certainly be a pro-Donaire bunch. He lives in San Leandro, California, and he's far more acclimated to the environment in which the fight will take place.

Mathebula is experienced, but as much as he'll be battling the formidable skills of Donaire, he'll be battling an environment that isn't best suited for him to win.  

Prediction:

I think this will be a good test for Donaire, but in the end, he has too many tools for Mathebula. The hand speed and foot speed advantage is huge, and Donaire throws punches from almost every angle imaginable.

I'm predicting a seventh- or eighth-round stoppage or KO for Donaire.

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There have been months of speculation about who will be the next opponent of Nonito Donaire. For the longest time, it was dangled in the faces of fans that Donaire would fight former flyweight champion Christian Mijares.

This outraged fans who felt this was a horrible step in competition for Donaire. Fans haven't really been happy with his progression since the Montiel fight and have been demanding he take on one of the many elite fighters at the 122 lb. weight class.

Abner Mares, Nishioka and Arce have also been mentioned as possible opponents. Each is ready to go and has been targeting Donaire ever since he mad his debut at 122.

Donaire was due to fight at Cowboys Stadium in July as the co-headliner with Marquez at the helm. It now seems that Donaire will be fighting at the Mandalay Bay June 30th against IBF title holder Jeffery Mathebula.

This is being speculated by Steve Kim on Twitter who is usually spot on with top rank news.

"Steve Kim ‏@stevemaxboxing
I'm told that Nonito Donaire has signed a contract to face IBF 122-pd titlist Jeffrey Mathebula on June 30t at the Mandalay Bay"

Still, this matchup really wouldn't be an interesting fight, but is a little better than Mijares. At least now Donaire would be fighting for unification instead of fighting a former flyweight king. 

This fight would help his resume a little, but Donaire will have to start stepping up if he wants to be recognized as the top fighter at 122. 

WBO super bantam weight champion Nonito Donaire (28-1 18KO's) seems to be the most sought out fighter in his new division.

Last night, Abner Mares (24-0-1 13KOs) won the vacant WBC super bantamweight title after outpointing former flyweight champion Eric Morel (46-3 23KOs) in a fight were the veteran refused to give in. The fight was held at a catch weight of 12 pounds and was for the title vacated by Toshiaki Nishioka, who chose to vacate due to him not defending his belt in a 6 month time period. 

Also on last night's card was WBA bantamweight champion Anselmo Moreno, who easily defeated challenger David De La Mora in 9 rounds. After his victory, he stated in his post fight interview that he'd like to face Nonito Donaire if possible. When asked if Mares and Donaire moving up was a plan to avoid him, he replied in a classy fashion saying he didn't know and can't really say.

It seems right now, Donaire is what's hot in the lower weight classes. Everybody seems to want a piece of him and his spot on the pound-for-pound list. Arce has be itching for a fight with Donaire for some time now, Rigondeux has been calling out Donaire as well. Nishioka even seems content with saving his final fight and a year layoff so that he can be ready for a battle with Donaire.

Mares seems to be chasing Donaire up to 122 as well, he weighed in below the 122 weight limit and I personally feel he could still make 118 if he wanted to. Moreno will probably move up to 122 soon as all the money fight and challenges sit one weight class above him.

There were talks of two possible opponents who're leading the race right now. IBF super bantamweight champion Jeffery Mathebula (26-3-2 14KO) and former super flyweight champion Christian Mijares (45-6-2 21KOs). Mathebula could lead to a unification bout, Mijares seems to be the front runner for a shot at Donaire in July.

Mijares seems to be the most likely opponent as Arum as been speaking highly of him lately and talks of them fighting has been in place for quite some time. Mathebula was recently announced as a possible opponent, but probably only to keep options open and keep the possibility of a unification open.

Whoever Donaire faces in July, he'll have a supply of talented opposition to choose for his next bout. Such fighters include:

Anselmo Moreno - 33-1-1 12KOs

Abner Mares - 24-0-1 13KOs

Toshiaki Nishioka - 39-4-3 24KOs

Guillermo Rigondeaux - 9-0 7KOs

Jorge Arce - 60-6-3 46Kos

If he fights anybody other than somebody from this list of fighters, it'll be disappointing as the best available opponents are standing by, waiting for their call.

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