Nonito Donaire

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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“I want this fight because I always fight the best and they say he's the best but I know I can beat him. I will prove to him, He has never fought a fighter like me. He is not a monster, I can beat him," replied Jorge Arce when asked why he wants to face Nonito Donaire.

"I don't know why they fought Vazquez when I beat Vazquez, they should have fought me, and they knew I wanted this fight. I don't know if it's him or his people but someone if afraid of me fighting Donaire," continued Arce.

As mentioned by Bob Arum before, Nonito will be facing Arce next. If this is indeed the case, and Arum decides to make his words a reality, then we might have a very exciting matchup in the works. Despite being listed as one of the top current pound-for-pound fighters in boxing, Donaire’s last two fights have proven to be a real challenge for the young Filipino.

Arce is definitely not a challenger that should be taken lightly, and is most certainly the kind of fighter that will deliver pressing action all through the fight no matter what is in his way. Donaire, is more of a technical boxer, taking his time and looking for mistakes in his opposition.

Two things we know about Arce: the first is that he has a well tested and proven granite chin, and second is that Arce has an unparalleled heart and spirit, and will come for you without a second thought.

Donaire has amazing lighting fast hand speed, respectable power and a fairly developed ring I.Q.

I see this as an incredibly interesting, well worth the money (if shown on PPV) event. To be honest, I wouldn’t even know whom to favor. Has Nonito ever faced anyone with similar offensive ability? Can he fight the entire fight while constantly moving back? I am not sure whether he can or can’t, but if facing Arce, he should definitely improve on that.

For Arce, it’s the speed he will have to deal with. Of course Arce will have to take a ton of punches before getting Donaire cornered or into the ropes, but over time it becomes very obvious that he has no problem with getting hit.

For either fighter this would be a very rewarding victory.

We all heard about a story of a young Filipino fighter who fought his way up and won titles in return. The unprecedented eight different weight division titles were a feat no one could ever replicate in this lifetime.

Manny Pacquiao has done it, and he has paved the way for aspiring fighters. He made it possible─ from the slums to the bright city lights of Las Vegas.

Nonito Donaire, who had recently won his fourth weight division title against the sturdy Puerto Rican Wilfredo Vazquez Jr., is certainly on the right track. The Filipino flash had his eyes set on winning titles all the way to the light-weight division.

Four years before, people would laugh at the thought of a fighter in the lower weight, knocking out bigger oppositions and collecting belts on his way up. Pacquiao did it and Nonito with his skills and knockout power had followed Manny’s footsteps and had so far been successful in his quest.

Four down and hopefully four more to go, which means after his acid test in the super bantamweight division, he will move up to featherweight, super featherweight, light weight and light welterweight which is 20 pounds bigger than his fighting weight now.

So Nonito would be on collision course with Yuriorkis Gamboa, Juan Manuel Lopez, Juan Manuel Marquez, Timothy Bradley and a lot more hard-hitting fighters.

You would have to think about how will Nonito handle everything? How would he handle the bigger fighters without injuring his hands again? Questions will have to be answered with more questions…

Will Nonito make his own unprecedented eight? Yes and no.

Manny Pacquiao is an anomaly, a fighter that fought in the minimum weight who had an 8-inch wrist similar to Mike Tyson and Joe Louis. (Pacquiao's wrist) It just goes to show why he carried that power all the way to super welterweight without getting his hands injured.

Donaire on the other hand, generates so much power and force on his size that the impact usually leaves his hands getting injured. It needs to be corrected, but he also needs to fight smarter.

In his fight with Vazquez, he could have dominated him easily, but he was so keen on giving everybody a good fight that he always looks for a knockout. It did come in the ninth round, but his left hand was already injured and bloodied.

Going back to the question…would he make his own eight division world titles? Yes, if he fights smarter and no, if he doesn’t.

However, Nonito doesn’t have to follow Pacquiao. He doesn’t need to create his own pressure. He is equally great and he already made his own legacy.

Muhammad Ali says it better: “I know where I'm going, and I know the truth, and I don't have to be what you want me to be. I'm free to be what I want.”

Nonito Donaire’s legacy will always be his…we don’t create directions for other people. They are free to choose their own paths.

Nonito Donaire kept rolling along with a dominant victory over Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. on Saturday night to capture the WBO Super Bantamweight Championship. It was not a perfect fight for the new champion, but he showed his resolve and did what was necessary to walk away with a win. 

Give Vazquez credit where it is due, he came in with nothing to lose. He was still trying to build himself back up after the loss last May to Jorge Arce, and managed to hang in there with one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world for 12 rounds. 

There were plenty of stories to come out of Saturday's fight, and here is what we are most excited to see come out of this epic battle. 

NONITO DONAIRE IS ONE OF THE TOP THREE FIGHTERS IN THE WORLD

There seems to be a prevailing theory that Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather and Sergio Martinez are the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world. You can determine the order of the top two on your own. 

Donaire's performance in the ring and natural ability deserves to be recognized in that little group. No disrespect to Martinez, but his resume doesn't compare to Donaire's. 

The new champion has not lost a fight in 11 years, and has taken on all challengers without belittling anyone in the ring. His accomplishments deserve to be talked about in the same vein as Pacquiao and Mayweather. 

WILFREDO VAZQUEZ JR. WILL BE A CHAMPION AGAIN

Despite suffering his second loss in three fights, Vazquez showed all of the things that he does well and why his future is still very bright in this sport.

His climb back up the rankings and the title picture is not going to be an easy one. He needs to work on tweaking his technique, because he was lost at times in this fight.

Give Donaire credit where it is due, but Vazquez was not as sharp as he normally is. He appeared to be fighting not to lose instead of winning. 

JORGE ARCE WOULD DEFEAT THIS NONITO DONAIRE

According to Dan Rafael of ESPN, Bob Arum said that the next fight for Donaire, assuming he won this fight with Vazquez, would challenge Jorge Arce for the Super Bantamweight title. 

If this same Donaire shows up for that fight, whenever it happens, he will taste defeat for the first time in over a decade. His speed carried him to a win in this fight, but his power did not shine through and he wasn't as crisp with his strikes as he usually is. 

Arce can match his speed without sacrificing his power or defense. He has the tools needed to knock Donaire around enough to earn a victory. 

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Nonito Donaire is ready to carry the title as best Filipino fighter in the world. His skills will be on full display when he battles the formidable Wilfredo Vazquez Jr.

The Philipines most popular fighter, Manny Pacquiao, is nearing the end of his career and it is time Donaire received his just due. Donaire's career has been stellar thus far, as he boasts a record of 28-1 with 18 KOs.

Donaire's opponent is no slouch. Vazquez is 27-1 with 18 KOs to his own credit.

He rebounded from his first defeat at the hands of hard-charging, but weak-punching Jorge Arce. In that fight he lost the WBO Super Bantamweight title. The championship has since been vacated and now he will fight Donaire to regain it.

If he thinks Arce was a difficult draw, he ain't seen nothing yet.

The two almost got into a scuffle in the pre-fight press conference and Vazquez has attempted to gain a mental advantage with trash talk. 

Donaire has vowed to stay focused on his game plan, despite his personal feelings:

I have never been angry as much as I am now but I realize that I need to relax and just follow my game plan.

Vazquez's posturing at the weigh-in said anything but confidence. When young, unproven fighters are as animated as Vazquez was here, it's genuinely to mask a ton of nervousness:

In his fight with Arce, he was gassed by the eighth round, and was clearly bothered by Arce's head-first style. Donaire won't fight Vazquez that way, but he does bring one of the most dangerous combinations of speed and power in to the ring.

Donaire represents the best fighter by far Vazquez will have ever faced, and it will show in the ring. Donaire has KOd quality fighters like Fernando Montiel and TKOd the tough Vic Darchinyan in his career. Vazquez will be next in line for a beating.

With the victory, Donaire will continue to climb into the consciousness of fight fans. As Manny Pacquiao's Hall of Fame career slowly winds down, Donaire is here to carry a now-impressive Filipino fighting tradition.

My pick is Donaire by 6th round KO.

Nonito Donaire’s (27-1-0) stock has been on a very sharp and aggressive rise ever since his demolition of Vic Darchinyan (37-4-1) in 2007. Then, after many great performances, Donaire was able to claim yet another tremendous and unquestionably memorable knockout victory by sending Fernando Montiel (46-4-2) to the canvas in February of 2011.

Donaire, if able to keep his winning streak going, will not only become a superstar and pound-for-pound top boxer, but may with time take Manny Pacquiao’s spot as the best athlete the Philippines ever produced.

His challenger Wilfredo Vasquez Jr. (21-1-1) is also a promising boxer with a very high knockout rate. His only loss came from Jorge Arce (59-6-2) in 2011, the very same fighter that Bob Arum has in sight for Donaire as his next opponent: “If Nonito wins the fight, then his next fight will be against Arce," Arum told Yahoo Sports' The Ring.

Many people expect this to be an all-out war, and it may very well turn out to be just that. Having said that, I really don’t expect Donaire to struggle in this fight. He is way too quick and careful for Vasquez Jr. As a matter of fact, I would not be surprised if Donaire ends the bout before the mid rounds come around.

What I am more interested in, is where Top Rank will take Donaire from here. I think that a re-match against Montiel would be well accepted. While Donaire won their fight convincingly, a little more was expected from Montiel. It’s as if he never warmed up and showed his normal self.

A fight against Arce looks good on paper, but I really don’t see Arce as a good challenger for Donaire. Arce has a heart of a true warrior, but he is also a simple brawler, receiving as much as he dishes out. With Donaire’s footwork and ability to pick shorts, Arce will be peppered with shots for twelve straight rounds. 

There will be a battle tonight to win the vacant WBO Super Bantamweight title, as Nonito "The Filipino Flash" Donaire will be pitted against Wilfredo "Papito" Vazquez Jr. Both fighters are previous title holders, though only Vazquez has held the title at this level.

The fighters come into tonight without a heavy favorite, but many point to Donaire as the guy with the best chance. He currently holds both the WBC and WBO Bantamweight titles, and is looking to add a third to his collection.

Both fighters have been able to knock out their opponents throughout their respective careers, each accruing 18 knockouts. The only difference is that Vazquez has done that in just 21 wins, while it took Donaire 27 to accomplish the same feat.

Donaire is a quick fighter who can really go the distance, so it will be important for Vazquez to start throwing punches early. This way he will be able to get in his shots, and not give his opponent the chance to stretch out the fight and take it in the later rounds.

Vazquez lost in May of last year to Jorge Arce, a fight in which he lost the Super Bantamweight title. That fight went 12 rounds, which was eventually called by his own corner because they couldn't let the fight go on any longer.

He did bounce back in his last fight, back in October, where he took down Robert Carlos Leyva in three rounds. This fight won't be as easy, but he was definitely able to turn things around following his first career loss.

Donaire hasn't lost since March of 2001, the second fight of his career, which ended by unanimous decision. Since then, he has been on a tear, and has continued to move up from class to class. However, it remains to be seen how he will perform at this level.

With Donaire making his first appearance at this level—he got himself up to 122 lbs to fight here—it will be important for Vazquez to slow him down early and go for the TKO. Otherwise, this will be an uphill battle for him.

Jeff Chase is a Featured Columnist for the Chicago Cubs and Arizona State football.

The animosity between Nonito Donaire and Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. will make for an epic clash on Saturday night in San Antonio, Texas.

The two bantamweights will meet for the vacant WBO super bantamweight title in the Alamodome (10:00 PM ET, HBO), in a card that features Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. looking to keep his record unblemished against fellow Mexican Marco Antonio Rubio.

Never mind the middleweight title fight between Chavez Jr. and Rubio though, because Donaire and Vazquez Jr. will steal the primetime show. 

The two fighters got into at their press conference and have fans excited for what is sure to be a fight filled with fireworks and plenty of quality boxing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJg8g5g7hOA

The 29-year-old Filipino, Donaire, is 27-1 in his career with 18 knockouts to his name. His last bout went all 12 rounds. He defeated Argentine Omar Andres Narvaez via unanimous decision.

Donaire has won his last 26 fights however, and is growing popular among boxing fans for his unique and easygoing personality. 

Meanwhile, Vazquez, a 27-year-old Puerto Rican fighter who boasts a 21-1-1 career record, fell to Mexican Jorge Arce in May 2011 via technical knockout to lose the WBO super bantamweight title which he once held, and is fighting for on Saturday night.

All the pieces are now in place for an epic back and forth between two angry featherweight fighters in their primes.

Given the cloud of hatred hanging over the bout, a knockout is possible, but it's likely that every bit of the 12 rounds available will be necessary to decide a new world champion.

With so much animosity between the two, and so much on the line in San Antonio, Donaire vs. Vazquez Jr. will easily take home Fight of the Night honors while stealing the show on HBO.

Fight fans we are in the big state of Texas for the Top Rank Welcome to the Future fight card this weekend!

In the main event we have the undefeated WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (44-0-1, 31 KOs) defending his title against the hard-hitting knockout artist Marco Antonio Rubio (53-5-1, 46KOs).

As well as the co-main event with the pound-for-pound fast-rising star Nonito Donaire who is moving up to 122 lbs and looking to obtain the vacant WBO super bantamweight title by defeating former WBO super bantamweight champion Wilfredo Vazquez Jr.

Both fights will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing Saturday February 4th at 10:00 p.m. (ET)/7:00 p.m. (PT).

On Thursdays' press conference, Donaire and Vazquez had a heated face-to-face stare down where it even got physical with shoving and yelling mostly instigated and provoked by Vazquez.

Both fighters, including their wives, have taken to Twitter to express their ongoing beef mostly due to disrespect and trash talking coming from the Vazquez team.

Both Mexican champion Chavez Jr. as well as Puerto Rican former champion Vazquez Jr. are sons of fighting legends. Both Chavez Sr. and Vazquez Sr. were present to show their support for their sons fighting on Saturday.

The weigh-in will be on Friday at 2 p.m. CT/3 p.m. ET and it will be live streamed via Top Rank TV.

It was initially scheduled to be at the iconic historical landmark the Alamo but due to weather conditions it has been moved to the Alamodome. It is free and open to the public to attend.

KING J will be at the Alamodome ringside where all the action will be taking place so continue to check back to this live blog and make sure to follow him on Twitter for real-time photos/updates as well: @KingJ323

HBO has lined up an exciting night of boxing as a battle between Nonito "The Filipino Flash" Donaire and Wilfredo "Papito" Vazquez Jr. will take place for the vacant WBO Super Bantamweight Championship.

Each boxer has only lost once in their respective careers, so something has to give on Saturday night. Donaire is the WBC and WBO Bantamweight titleholder, but he decided to move up to 122 lbs. in order to take on Vazquez Jr. Papito is a former Super Bantamweight champion, but he dropped the title to Jorge Arce last year.

The 29-year-old Donaire is the clear favorite, as he hasn't lost a fight since dropping his second professional bout way back in 2001. Donaire hasn't really had a close call since his split-decision win over Kahren Harutyunyan in 2006.

Vazquez Jr. has the punching power to shock Donaire, scoring 16 knockouts in 19 career victories, so Donaire will have to be at the top of his game. If he isn't, he is certainly at risk of getting upset.

Where: Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas

When: Saturday, Feb. 4 at 10:00 p.m. EST

Watch: HBO

Live Streaming: HBO.com

Main Card

Middleweight Championship: Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (c) vs. Marco Antonio Rubio

Super Bantamweight Championship: Nonito Donaire (c) vs. Wilfredo Vazquez Jr.

Donaire's Keys to Victory

In order for Donaire to come out on top, he will simply have to control the pace of the fight. Donaire is considered one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world thanks to his quickness and incredible hand speed.

Vazquez Jr. is quick in his own right, but as long as Donaire asserts himself early, his talent advantage will be evident.

Nine of Donaire's past 11 fights have ended in The Filipino Flash winning by knockout, so aggressiveness will be key. If the fight lasts into the latter rounds, then Donaire likely has the advantage thanks to his endurance. Vazquez Jr. has sneaky punching power, though, so Donaire would be best served to end the fight as quickly as possible.

Vazquez Jr.'s Keys to Victory

There isn't a ton of mystery when it comes to Vazquez Jr.'s game plan. The vast majority of his victories have come via the knockout, so he will certainly be looking to beat Donaire in that fashion. It obviously won't be easy, as Donaire has never been knocked out in his decade-long career. That isn't going to stop Vazquez Jr. from trying, though.

The more technically sound boxer in this fight is undoubtedly Donaire, so Vazquez Jr. is liable to get picked apart if he tries to go the distance. Vazquez Jr.'s only real chance in this fight is if he finds a way to rattle Donaire and knock him down.

In other words, Vazquez Jr. needs to brawl Donaire, not box him.

What They're Saying

Donaire is a pretty significant favorite to capture the vacant WBO Super Bantamweight title on Saturday, but Vazquez Jr. doesn't think he should be written off. Vazquez Jr. is aiming to take back what he believes to be his title, according to Marc Anthony Reyes of the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

"It’s a challenge, no question," Vazquez, who lost the title to Mexican Jorge Arce last year, was quoted as saying. "But it’s also a chance to demonstrate what I’m capable of. Most important is that I get the chance to fight for my title, which belongs to me.

He (Donaire) is a great athlete, but not a superhero like they want him to be. But he’s humble and demonstrated good vibes when we met. He’s earned what he has but anyone can be beat."

 

Prediction

Vazquez Jr. has proven to be a solid fighter, but Donaire is at an entirely different level in terms of talent. He will prove that with a ninth-round knockout of Vazquez Jr.