Nonito Donaire

Nonito Donaire retained his WBO super bantamweight championship with a dominant third-round knockout over challenger Jorge Arce Saturday night at the Toyota Center in Houston.

The two fighters felt each other out for the first round, but the pace quickened in Round 2. Donaire began to throw more combinations and caught Arce to score his first knockdown of the fight.

The third round was even more impressive for Donaire. He scored an early knockdown over Arce, and, like Arce always does, the challenger kept pushing forward, trying to land punches of his own. 

In the third round's final seconds, though, Donaire dropped Arce. It was obvious right away that the fight was over as Arce struggled to peel himself off the mat.

Not only was this a great fight, but it was the final fight that HBO legend Larry Merchant will commentate from ringside. He gave viewers a few of his textbook comments, leaving you scratching your head while trying to figure out what he just said.

Arce entered this fight behind a 68-6-2 record with 46 knockouts in his career. He's notorious for his straight-forward approach, using his toughness to battle his way through fights. Even though he doesn't play great defense or display an all-around skill set, he's still one of the sport's most entertaining competitors.

Donaire was 30-1 with 19 knockouts entering Saturday's bout. Coming into the fight, it wasn't hard to guess that he would use his complete skill set to try to push Arce around the ring. The only real advantage that Arce had coming into it was his tremendous heart.

Arce fought the fight that many expected, and he lost the only way that he possibly could have. He doesn't ever back down, but Donaire was too good.

Once again, Donaire proved himself to be a great fighter and someone who steps up when the title is on the line. It will be interesting to see whom he fights next, with the most likely candidates being Abner Mares or Guillermo Rigondeaux

In October of 2011, I covered Nonito Donaire's Madison Square Garden debut vs. undefeated WBO super flyweight champion Omar Andrés Narvaez of Argentina. The week before the fight, I participated in a media phone call where Donaire's promoter, Bob Arum, spoke openly about his goal to build Donaire into the sport's next pay-per-view star.

It was eight months after his sensational Round 2 TKO of Fernando Montiel, and the Filipino-American fighter was riding a wave of momentum. But it all ground to a temporary halt that evening in midtown Manhattan.

Donaire came away with another victory—a shutout unanimous decision—but the manner in which he won did nothing to build up his buzz as boxing's next all-action star. The bout was a listless affair, with Narvaez remaining behind a turtled-up guard all night and Donaire unable to force him to engage.

By the end of the night, much of the Garden crowd was chanting "boring," and other less appropriate refrains.

Most of the blame would have to go to poor match-making. The 36-year-old Narvaez recognized in the opening round that he was confronted with a bigger, stronger, quicker opponent whom he had no chance of beating. Given the situation, he opted simply to avoid taking any serious head trauma and spent the entire 12 rounds avoiding danger of any kind.

Donaire was visibly frustrated and could be overheard telling his corner "I'm bored" between rounds.

Post-fight, Donaire and Arum addressed the press outside the ring. At one point, Donaire commandeered a microphone and began interviewing his promoter.

The first question he asked Arum was noteworthy: "How about a fight between Nonito Donaire and Jorge Arce?"

The members of press row grumbled and nodded their collective approval. Following the snoozefest he'd been forced to put on with Navraez, what better possible opponent could the Filipino Flash ask for?

Could any fighter offer a better potential foil for Donaire's explosively precise counterpunching than the relentlessly attacking, four-division world champion, Mexican Cowboy?

This Saturday, Dec. 15, 2012, Nonito Donaire will finally get his wish for an ideal opponent, as he is scheduled to defend his Ring and WBO super bantamweight titles against Arce at the Toyota Center in Houston.  

It will cap off a sensational 2012 for Donaire, if he can close according to plans. Arce will be Donaire's fourth straight world-class opponent this year.

In February, he moved up to the 122-pound division and captured the vacant WBO super bantamweight title by beating Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. by split decision at the Alamodome in San Antonio. Despite the split decision, the fight was never close.

Judge Ruben Garcia's 115-112 card for Vasquez was among the most incompetent handed in during a year of bad judging.

In July, Donaire knocked off the IBF belt holder, Jeffrey Mathebula at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California. Giving up over a half-foot in height, Donaire adjusted like the elite talent he is and won by wide margins on all three cards, knocking Mathebula down in the fourth.

Donaire's toughest matchup of the year was supposed to take place in October, when he challenged Japanese star Toshiaki Nishioka, once again in Carson. Instead it ended up being Donaire's best performance of 2012 to date. Nishioka attempted to fight a cautious fight from a distance for most of the early rounds.

But when he moved into range and challenged Donaire, the results were predictable. Donaire floored him in the sixth and again in the ninth, before winning by TKO in Round 9.

Now, just two months later, he is set to step back into the ring against another top-ranked opponent, one who can be reliably counted upon to take the fight to him and give him a war. 

One of two things can happen in Houston this Saturday. Either we will see Arce record the upset of the year or we will watch Donaire put an exclamation point on 2012.  

If Donaire can stay on track with this last fight, a potentially even bigger 2013 awaits. Superfights are still waiting for him at 122 in Abner Mares and Guillermo Rigondeaux. If he chooses to move up to 126, he's got great potential fights in opponents like Orlando Salido, Daniel Ponce de Leon and Billy Dib.

And if everything goes the way most people expect it to go on Saturday, Donaire will enter next year as 2012's Fighter of the Year.

Guillermo Rigondeaux (11-0, 8 KO) was set to defend his WBA super bantamweight world title against Thai fighter Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym (48-2, 33 KO) until his opponent tested positive for HIV.

Dan Rafael of ESPN reports that the Texas Department of Licensing and Registration cancelled the match that was set to take place in Houston on Dec. 15.

Rigondeaux would have faced the biggest test of his professional career had he faced Kratingdaenggym. Now without an opponent, there's only one way to turn this unfortunate event into a positive: make a fight with Abner Mares.

Mares (25-0-1, 13 KO) is the undefeated WBC super bantamweight world champion. A fight between the two would be the second-biggest fight possible in the 122-lb division.

Whoever won would undoubtedly set the stage for a clash with the biggest star of the super bantamweight division, Nonito Donaire (30-1, 19 KO).

The only problem with making this match would be its rival promoters, Golden Boy, who represent Mares; and Top Rank, who represent Rigondeaux.

Top Rank and Golden Boy have been intent on not co-promoting an event together for quite some time. But Top Rank recently outbid Golden Boy to host a fight between Top Rank fighter Vanes Martirosyan (32-0-1, 20 KO) and Golden Boy fighter Erislandy Lara (17-1-2, 11 KO).

The match was held on Nov. 10 and was fairly scored a draw. If Mares-Rigondeaux is to happen, one of the promoters must purchase the services of the rival promoter's fighter.

Seeing that Golden Boy allowed Lara to be purchase by Top Rank last time, Top Rank should return the favor and allow Rigondeaux to be purchased this time. The two promoters would be trading one Cuban fighter for the other. If Rigondeaux wins, Top Rank can have an in-house superfight between Donaire and Rigondeaux.

If Mares wins, Top Rank can offer to buy the services of Mares from Golden Boy so they can host the Donaire-Mares matchup.

Otherwise, Mares and Rigondeaux have nothing to do except wait for Donaire to pick one of them. If Rigondeaux and Mares fight, Donaire's next opponent becomes as clear as day.

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Boxing fans are still recovering from Juan Manuel Marquez's sixth-round knockout of Manny Pacquiao, but there is another excellent bout happening on Saturday.

WBO super bantamweight title Nonito Donaire will face Jorge Arce in Houston Saturday night with his belt on the line, and it should be a good one.

Donaire (30-1, 19 KOs) will be favored in this one, but Arce (64-6-2, 46 KOs) is an extremely dangerous fighter. Don't expect the outcome of this one to come easy, and it will definitely be worth watching.

Let's take a look at where you can watch and give a few keys to the bout.

Where: Toyota Center, Houston, Texas

When: Saturday, December 15 at 9:30 p.m. ET

TV: HBO

Live Stream: Top Rank

Key to Donaire Victory: Use Arce's Aggression Against Him

Arce is an extremely aggressive fighter, but he only knows how to fight one style. Donaire is a better overall fighter, and he is capable of taking advantage of Arce's overzealous attack.

I'm not trying to compare this to Pacquiao versus Marquez, but the idea is the same. Arce only knows how to move forward. He's very good at it, and he will beat Donaire if the champion isn't careful, but he has no other option.

Donaire has things in his back pocket. He's a devastating counter-puncher, and he's a smart fighter. He throws crisp shots that will hurt Arce, especially as "Travieso" continuously moves into them.

Look for Donaire to bide his time in this one. He knows that Arce will be looking for a big shot, so he just has to stay on his feet and wait for Arce to slip up and create an opportunity for him.

Key to Arce Victory: Attack, Attack, Attack

This is Arce's only chance to win. As I said before, he's a one-dimensional fighter, but he's very good at what he does.

Arce has 46 knockouts in his career, so you know that he can throw some punches. If he can force Donaire to fight his style, he has a chance to pull off the upset and win the belt.

Even though Donaire is one of the best pound-for-pound fighters, he does have weaknesses. He tends to leave himself open to big punches at times, and Arce is more than capable of landing those shots.

Arce is a four-division title-winner for a reason. He knows how to fight, and he has nothing to lose in this situation.

Prediction: Donaire via 9th-Round TKO

Donaire just has too much for Arce in this one. Arce can only fight one type of fight, and that will hurt him here. Look for Donaire to wear him down and win via ninth-round TKO.

Sanctioning bodies and rival promotional outfits have done their best to occupy boxing with petulance and greed. Considering that boxing’s bureaucratic institutions are technically in a unique position to help the sport, they seem to possess little foresight or desire to do so.

This unfortunate trend could continue if a fight between Nonito Donaire and Abner Mares never gets made.

Last night, Juan Manuel Marquez knocked Manny Pacquiao out cold in a sensational fight that benefited boxing. Pacquiao-Marquez IV lived up to the action and competitiveness of the previous three fights and finally crowned a definitive winner. The fight exceeded expectations and gave fans exactly what they deserve.

Well, everything except for the continued hope that Pacquiao will one day fight Floyd Mayweather.

The hypothetical Mayweather-Pacquiao fight was unlikely to ever happen anyway, and frankly, its genuine appeal had already expired. Pacquiao-Marquez IV only confirmed this. Now, boxing fans can finally let go of the Mayweather-Pacquiao albatross that has strangled the sport for years.

There was a time, however, when Mayweather-Pacquiao should have happened and would have greatly benefited the sport. Unfortunately, that was several years ago. Whether one blames Bob Arum or the fighters and their respective camps for this missed opportunity, the fact remains that everyone involved simply blew it. 

A super bantamweight unification fight between WBO champion Donaire (30-1, 19 KO) and WBC boss Mares (25-0-1, 13 KO) is likely at the peak of its appeal and would feature two prizefighters who consistently seek out elite competition. It is up to Top Rank and Golden Boy to finally realize this.

With Donaire-Mares in a similar situation that Mayweather-Pacquiao was in two or three years ago, fans shouldn’t be surprised if they are again disappointed.

The frustrating inability to make Donaire-Mares has everything to do with the feud between rival promotional outfits Top Rank, who promotes Donaire, and Golden Boy, who handles Mares. In his ESPN.com boxing blog, Dan Rafael succinctly outlines the foolishness of this impasse:

Yet, it's not happening [Donaire-Mares] because of the silly, energy-sucking feud between Golden Boy and Top Rank, which has done nothing but damage the sport for years even if the bosses of the companies won't admit it.

There are a lot of fights they could make together that would be great, but Donaire-Mares is one of the very best. That is bad for the fans—the people the promoters claim to care about—and the fighters.

Frank Espinoza, who manages Mares, has told me that the one fight they really want is against Donaire. They took the [Anselmo] Moreno fight because they had no other serious options and Espinoza feels as though they were forced into it.

Donaire recently told RingTV.com’s Lem Satterfield that he is keen to make a fight with Mares: 

“I want to request that fight with Mares to happen. I requested that fight last year and this year, but it never happened,” said Donaire of Mares, who dropped Moreno during the fifth round of a victory that ended Moreno's 27-bout winning streak.

“Maybe now that he's calling me out on national television, it might happen. We'll see, but I want to try to get that fight for next year. But we'll see. I'll fight Mares, who is the Golden Boy guy as well. We'll have to wait for that negotiation to present itself. But I want that fight in order to begin cleaning out this division and then move up to 126.”

This echoes sentiments that both Mares and Espinoza have expressed. Of course, Satterfield also notes that Donaire has been linked to a potential fight against WBA 122-pound champion Guillermo Rigondeaux, which could happen if the Donaire-Mares stalemate continues.

Still, Donaire-Mares is one of the few fights in boxing that can generate unanimous, widespread excitement and captivate casual fans.

If Donaire understands the importance of securing this fight as soon as possible, Mares appears to be a willing and enthusiastic adversary. In an interview with BoxingScene.com, Mares acknowledges that he has noticed some flexibility between Top Rank and Golden Boy and that he’s now more “excited” than “frustrated” about the prospect of fighting Donaire.

In the same interview, Mares claims that fighting Donaire could “help save boxing and bring it back to where it was.” This type of hyperbole is expected from fighters trying to promote a bout. That said, the idea of one specific fight “saving” boxing is the exact fallacy that blew the prospect of Mayweather-Pacquiao out of proportion.

This is not meant to downgrade the significance of Donaire-Mares. Donaire and Mares are peaking, and they have both strung together runs of impressive victories against elite opponents.

At 30, Donaire is in the midst of his prime and clearly wants to maximize it. As a result, Top Rank and Golden Boy must realize that waiting beyond 2013 to make Donaire-Mares is tempting fate.

Fighters can often suffer steep an unexpected declines in boxing’s smaller weight classes. While nothing suggests that this will happen to Donaire imminently, there is no need to risk it.

More fights between elite champions is what boxing needs. A stylistic breakdown of why Donaire versus Mares is a tremendous matchup is best saved for another article. Still, Mares’ combination of skill and aggression would undoubtedly produce fierce exchanges when pitted against Donaire’s classy boxing an unparalleled explosiveness.

Waiting too long to make this fight negates the potential historical and financial benefits of a rematch or trilogy should the first fight prove worthy. If both boxers are sincere in their desire to fight each other, it is now exclusively up to the promoters to grow up.

Sadly, this remains a frightening and unlikely prospect.

The result of Pacquiao-Marquez IV liberated boxing fans from the clutches of Mayweather-Pacquiao. Now, boxing can move on and thrive if the appropriate fights are made and the wishes of the actual fighters and fans are met. Donaire and Mares can be crucial in this transition.

Let’s hope all promotional outfits allow this to happen. 

Nonito Donaire just might win fighter of the year honors if he can score a dominant victory over Jorge Arce when the two meet on HBO in Houston next month.

A win over Arce would be a great way to cap off what has been a stellar year for the 30-year-old Filipino-American fighter known as the Filipino-Flash.  

The fight against Arce will be the fourth of the year for Donaire, which is something that just doesn't happen anymore in the sport.

Most of the elite fighters on the mythical pound-for-pound list only fight once or maybe twice a year, so for Donaire to fight four times in the same year is pretty remarkable. 

It's not as though he has been fighting bums either. So far in 2012, Donaire has faced and defeated three former or current world champions. 

First up was Puerto Rico's Wilfredo Vasquez Jr., who sported a record of 21-1-1 with 18 knockouts coming in to the fight with Donaire. The fight went the full 12 rounds for the vacant WBO 122-pound title, and while the judges had it a split decision, in reality it wasn't even close.

Although it wasn't as exciting as Donaire's devastating knockout of Fernando Montiel the previous year, it was still an impressive win over the former WBO super bantamweight titleholder. 

Next up for the slick Bay Area fighter was IBF super bantamweight titleholder Jeffery Mathebula, who posed a big challenge for the 5'5" fighter.

Mathebula, at nearly 6'0", is freakishly tall for the weight division, but in the end it wouldn't make any difference as Doniare would go on to dominate his much taller foe, knocking him down in the fourth round and breaking his jaw on the way to a unanimous 12-round decision win. 

Then just last month on Oct. 13, Donaire was back in action against Japan's Toshiaki Nishioka, who was considered coming in to the fight the best super bantamweight in the world.

The fight was initially pretty boring as the rightful WBC 122-pound champion Nishioka was very wary of the power-punching Donaire and seemed more worried about his defense than initiating any offense of his own.  

The fight picked up in Round 6 when Doniare dropped Nishioka for the first time in the fight. After tasting the canvas, the Japanese fighter seemed to come alive and actually started fighting back, but he was no match for Donaire.

The fight would come to an end in Round 9 when Nishioka once again was put on the canvas.  He would beat the count, but referee Raul Caiz Sr. would stop the fight seconds later following another brutal combination of punches from Donaire. 

In Arce, Donaire will be facing a 17-year veteran of the sport with 70 fights under his belt. Arce has held titles in four weight divisions and is one of the most exciting fighters in all of boxing.

If Donaire can add a win over Arce to his 2012 resume, I think he will be a lock for fighter of the year honors. 

Abner Mares has been a popular choice as the next possible opponent of Nonito Donaire after Jorge Arce because of his unblemished record and his domination of  the bantamweight division in recent years.

But after his not-so-impressive performance over veteran Anselmo Moreno of Panama at the Staples Center Saturday night, boxing fans are doubting his ability to withstand Donaire's  awesome power and speed. 

Mares gave all his best to knock out Moreno during the 12-round encounter at the well-attended boxing event. But he looked worn out and frustrated in the later rounds as he chased the hit-and-run fighter from Panama. Mares even looked almost like an amateur, throwing awkward punches which did not land on targets.

Although he scored a knockdown over Moreno in the fifth round, his overall performance leaves much to be desired. 

Donaire is definitely more skillful than Mares, especially if his last fight against Moreno will be used as a basis in considering him as a worthy opponent of Donaire.

Mares told Boxing Scene after the fight he wants to face Donaire and hopes their promoters can work together to make the fight happen, saying, “I want to fight Nonito Donaire. That’s the only guy to fight. We want to fight the best. We want to continue to step up and fight the best. I think its up to Nonito’s promoters.”

Ronnie Nathanielsz of Philboxing writes, "Therein lies the problem because Mares is handled by Golden Boy Promotions and Donaire by Bob Arum’s Top Rank and their differences run deep". 

Despite the win by Mares against Moreno, fight fans would probably favor a Guillermo Rigondeaux-Nonito Donaire fight after the "Filipino Flash" is done with Arce in December.

Rigondeaux, who had an impressive amateur record, is unbeaten in his 11 professional fights, eight of which were won via KO.

The former Cuban Olympic gold medalist in the 2000 Sydney and 2004 Athens Olympic games, is facing  Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym of Thailand on Dec. 15. The Thai fighter is a veteran of 44 fights with two loses.

Mares needs to polish his skill and style against a tough fighter in the bantamweight division to have a fighting chance with Donaire, who will be available after the Rigondeaux fight (if it happens) early next year.

Four-division world champion Nonito Donaire is set to face Jorge Arce in Mexico City on December 15, according to breaking news report by the Philboxing.com website.

"The highly anticipated showdown between 4-division champion Nonito Donaire Jr and Mexican star Jorge Arce is a go in Mexico City on Dec. 15, 2012. The deal will be finalized by Top Rank President Bob Arum on Monday," Philboxing.com wrote.

Donaire will be returning to the ring for a fourth  time this year since winning over Wilfredo Vasquez in February while Arce will be fighting for a third time this year after getting a no-contest decision for an accidental foul over Jesus Rojas in June.

Donaire, who knocked down Tosiaki Nishioka a week ago at the Home Depot Center in Carson, is the reigning WBO, The Ring and WBC Super Bantamweight Champion. Arce is the reigning WBO Bantamweight Champion.

After Donaire's victory over Nishioka a few days ago, Arce said (via ABS-CBN News) he is not impressed with Donaire's credentials.

"I'm not impressed. He is not the monster they believe he is. What happens is that [the opponents] have too much respect, they pull punches, start to survive and allow him to come on," the Mexican was quoted as saying.

For his part, Donaire said, "If he tells himself that he’s not impressed, that’s big mistake. It’s always different inside the ring."

Donaire's promoter Bob Arum has yet to announce if the December 15th fight will be Donaire's pay-per-view (PPV) debut.

Donaire has what it takes to be a PPV star because of his entertaining style and his awesome displays of speed and power as he moves around the ring.

An indication Donaire is ripe to headline a PPV fight of his own is the fact that he has already attracted substantial attendance numbers in his most recent fights.

If the Donaire-Arce fight makes it onto pay-per-view, it could be the first to be covered on PPV for a bantamweight or even featherweight bout, as it has been observed that PPV fights appeal more to heavier weight classes

The 33-year-old Jorge Arce, who hails from Sinaloa, Mexico, stands 5'4" with a win-loss record of 60-6 with two draws.

The 29-year-old Donaire is a Filipino-American fighter who originally hails from General Santos City, Philippines. "The Filipino Flash" has a win-loss record of 30-1. At 5'7" with a reach of 63 inches, he stands three inches higher than Arce.

Following his TKO win over highly rated Japanese fighter Toshiaki Nishioka Saturday night at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California, Nonito "The Filipino Flash" Donaire is now inching toward his long-awaited pay-per-view (PPV) debut against the popular Mexican fighter Jorge Arce.

The long-awaited PPV debut for Donaire could happen as early as December either in Mexico or in the United States, provided Arce does not price himself out in negotiations and that Donaire's injured left hand heals in time for the fight.

After his victory over Nishioka, the "Filipino Flash" was in obvious pain—his left-hand glove was pulled, showing blood stains from his white hand wrap. His hand injury surfaced after his fight against Wilfredo Vazquez in San Antonio, Texas, last year.

Donaire's promoter, Bob Arum, who likewise promotes Jorge Arce, said he could arrange a fight with Jorge Arce as early as December. “If his hands heal, we could do that fight,” said Arum (via Inquirer.net).

But Donaire's manager, Cameron Dunkin, said Arce has already priced himself out for having demanded a purse of over $1 million. Donaire has yet to get a $1 million purse in his career. He was reportedly paid around $800,000 for his fight with Nishioka.

“I would love to fight Arce,” said Dunkin. “That would be a great fight, that would be a pay-per-view fight on demand because of the Mexican and Filipino fans. Then they can share the pay-per-view revenues on top of their guaranteed purse.”

In the post-fight interview Saturday, Arum said (via Philstar.com) he will try to secure more fights for Donaire, who has previously expressed his desire to fight more than twice a year under Arum's Top Rank Promotions.

Donaire has what it takes to be a PPV star because of his entertaining style and his awesome displays of speed and power as he moves around the ring.

An indication Donaire is ripe to headline a PPV fight of his own is the fact that he has already attracted substantial attendance numbers in his most recent fights.

If the Donaire-Arce fight makes it onto pay-per-view, it could be the first to be covered on PPV for a bantamweight or even featherweight bout, as it has been observed that PPV fights appeal more to heavier weight classes.

Jorge Arce, who hails from Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico, is the current WBO bantamweight and the second Mexican boxer to win titles in four weight divisions. He is 33 years old and stands 5'4" with a win-loss record of 60-6 with two draws.

The 29-year-old Donaire is a Filipino-American fighter who originally hails from General Santos City, Philippines. "The Filipino Flash" has a win-loss record of 30-1, and he is a four-division world titlist. At 5'7" with a reach of 63 inches, he stands three inches higher than Arce.

Nonito Donaire, fresh off his impressive victory Saturday night, is looking at a December return to the ring against WBO bantamweight champion Jorge Arce. 

Arce (60-6-2 46 KO 1 NC), who has won multiple world titles in multiple weight divisions, is an exciting, all-action fighter who will make for an explosive contest with Donaire.

Donaire defeated Toshiaki Nishioka of Japan by ninth round stoppage, in a fight that was lackluster, largely due to the challenger's unwillingness to mount any offensive attack.

The fight with Arce is contingent on an injury to Donaire's hand, sustained in his fight with Nishioka, not being severe enough to force him to miss time.

"If the left hand is okay, then I will try to have him fight again before the end of the year, in Mexico, at that new arena in Mexico City - against Arce," Top Rank CEO Bob Arum told Rick Reeno of Boxingscene.com.

The news will come as a disappointment to many boxing fans, who hoped to see Donaire return to the ring against fellow super-bantamweight champion Abner Mares.

Mares defends his title against a stiff challenge from Anselmo Moreno, the reigning bantamweight champion, who is moving up in weight for the fight.

But unfortunately for fight fans, Mares is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, the oil to Arum's water. The two companies rarely, if ever do business with one another, and recently the war of words between the outfits has escalated.

Arum has discussed holding the bout in the new arena in Mexico City and the Dec. 15 HBO date, which was originally supposed to feature Timothy Bradley, could be where it lands. 

Bradley told his local newspaper The Desert Sun last week that he was considering skipping the date and instead focus on landing a big fight in 2013.

That would leave a void in Top Rank and HBO's calendar, which this fight could fill.