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Now that Manny Pacquiao has already galvanized his status as pound-for-pound king and installed himself among the all-time greats in history, noted businessman-sportsman Jonathan “Atan” L. Guardo believed IBF flyweight champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire Jr. as the next big thing in RP boxing mainly because of his well-rounded skills on the ring that chimed well with his diligence and fortitude.
“There is nothing left for Manny Pacquiao to prove. Although he is yet to fight Ricky Hatton and most probably Floyd Mayweather, he has already done enough to be one of the all-time greats in boxing history,” Guardo said.
“Given that premise, I am highly confident that the next toast of RP boxing will be Nonito Donaire. He has all the potentials to scale greater heights in the so-called sweet science. He's intelligent. He's crafty and (a) very tactical fighter. He's composed and above all, he packs a power like bomb that can blow up his foes at any given time,” added the two-time “Sportsman of the Year” awardee by the Sportswriters Association of Cebu (SAC).
Donaire has a six-fight contract with Uniherb Philippines, of which Guardo is the president and chief executive officer, as official endorser of the popular food supplement Arthro (Kontra Arthritis).
Guardo said Donaire, like Pacquiao, has steadfast faith in God and has always been a picture of humility.
“These are the intangibles that will serve as Donaire's springboard to success. And like Pacquiao, Donaire never cringes in the midst of adversity. He never backs down from a challenge even if he needs to sacrifice something. He loves to venture into something new. These are the hallmarks of a true warrior,” Guardo said.
Testament to that, the 26-year-old Donaire will relinquish his twin IBF and IBO flyweight belts to challenge WBO super flyweight champion Fernando “Cochulito” Montiel in a blockbuster March 15 card bankrolled by Bob Arum's Top Rank at the Araneta Coliseum.
This marks for the first time that Donaire fights on Philippine soil. Montiel, for his part, has already fought here once, barely retaining his WBO crown with a controversial split decision victory over Cebuano ring star Z “The Dream” Gorres on Feb. 24, 2007 at the Cebu City Sports Center.
Donaire is currently training for the Montiel bout in the cold mountains of Baguio City alongside WBO bantamweight king Gerry “Fearless” Peñalosa, who is also getting ready for his upcoming title defense against mandatory challenger Eric Morel.
Donaire, who was born in Bohol, raised in General Santos City, and grew up in the United States, shot to fame when he dethroned the previously undefeated Australian knockout artist Vic “The Raging Bull” Darchinyan to snatch the IBF and IBO 112-pound diadems on July 7, 2007 in Connecticut.
Donaire kept his throne twice since then, first via a one-sided eighth round demolition of Mexican Luis Maldonado on December 2, 2007 also in Connecticut followed by a spectacular sixth round stoppage of South Africa’s Moruti Mthalane on November 2 last year in Las Vegas. /PR
