Nonito Donaire Jr.: Star on the rise

There’s something special about newly crowned World Boxing Association (WBA) superflyweight champion Nonito Donaire Jr. It’s not just his ring skills or his ability to break down an opponent’s defense. What sets him apart from others is his sense of national pride. 

Whenever and wherever Nonito Jr. fights, he wears the Philippine tri-colors.  He’s known as the Filipino Flash, the rising star in Top Rank chairman Bob Arum’s army of top-quality fighters. 

Nonito Jr., 26, was born in Talibon, Bohol, and grew up in General Santos City, the boxing hotbed where Manny Pacquiao and Rolando Navarrete come from. His father Nonito Sr. served in the Philippine Army for eight years and fought as an amateur before trying his luck alone in the US in 1990.

After a year, Nonito Sr.’s wife Imelda and youngest child Lucky Ermie, now 24, joined him in Van Nuys, California. In 1993, the last wave of the Donaire family arrived in Van Nuys — Glenn, now 29, Rosiel, now 28, and Nonito Jr.

Glenn and Nonito Jr. took to boxing like fish to water.  They entered amateur competitions and captured a wide assortment of regional and district championships.  Through it all, the brothers kept their promise to finish high school at San Lazaro in San Leandro, California, where they lived.  It was a promise to their father who studied only up to second year high school.

When they were young, Glenn used to beat up Nonito Jr. while sparring.  To this day, Nonito Jr. — who often walked away from Glenn crying with a bloody nose — swears that nobody ever hit him as hard as his kuya.  But he credits his oldest brother for toughening him up and preparing him for the long road ahead in professional boxing.

Both brothers reached the final stages of the lightflyweight US Olympic trials and were eliminated by the same fighter, Fil-Am Brian Viloria. Exasperated by their failure to get past Viloria, the Donaire brothers decided to turn pro and signed up with female promoter Jackie Kallen, who paid the boys a monthly salary of $1,500 each.  Nonito Jr. turned down an offer for a boxing scholarship at Northern Michigan University to pursue his dream.

After four pro fights he returned to Manila with Glenn and their father in 2001.  The brothers broke off from Kallen and thought of restarting their careers in the Philippines.  But eventually, they decided to go back to San Leandro where Nonito Sr. felt there were less distractions and better training facilities.

Glenn is now retired after two unsuccessful attempts to win a world title but Nonito Jr. has exceeded all expectations in rising to the top.  In 2007, he defied the odds as a 7-1 underdog in knocking out previously unbeaten Vic Darchinyan to wrest the IBF flyweight crown in Bridgeport, Connecticut.  He then repulsed challengers Luis Maldonado, Moruti Mthalane and Raul Martinez.  Last weekend, he out-pointed Panama’s Rafael Concepcion to win the interim WBA 115-pound diadem at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

To be sure, there were heartaches along the way in Nonito Jr.’s ascent.  His father’s emotional departure was a big blow.  Nonito Sr. packed up when his son began to rely on girlfriend Rachel Marcial, a Fil-Am taekwondo champion, on issues related to business, nutrition and logistics — which he used to handle.   He tried to reach out to his father whom he considers the key to his boxing success, but no reconciliation is imminent at the moment.  In August last year, Nonito Jr. and Rachel were married in a private ceremony in Carmel, California, with all their close relatives — except Nonito Sr. — attending.

In the meantime, Nonito Jr. has contracted the Peñalosa brothers — Gerry, Dodie Boy and Jonathan — to take care of his training.  The new team did a good job in its debut as he blasted Martinez into submission at the Araneta Coliseum last April.

For Concepcion, Nonito Jr. prepared two months at the Undisputed Gym in San Carlos, a Bay Area suburb near San Mateo where he now lives with Rachel. He brought in conditioning coach Mike Bazzel to work on his explosiveness and stamina while Dodie Boy and Jonathan pushed him hard in the gym.

When former President Cory Aquino passed away, Nonito Jr. deeply felt the loss with the entire Filipino nation and dedicated his fight against Concepcion in her memory. He requested Everlast, the boxing equipment company, to provide a yellow robe with the inscription “I. M. O. (in memory of) former Pres. Cory Aquino” on the back and yellow fighting trunks with “Aquino” emblazoned on the back waistband.  Everlast complied and delivered on just a few days’ notice because the company knew how much President Cory meant to the Filipino people.  The Philippine tri-colors were resplendent in Nonito Jr.’s trunks on the front waistband.

The day before the bout, he tipped the scales at the superflyweight limit of 115 but Concepcion was 4 1/2 pounds over.  He could’ve walked away with his $150,000 purse plus $6,500 — his share of Concepcion’s fine for failing to make the weight — and avoid risking a dangerous fight against an overweight opponent.  Nevada State Athletic Commission executive director Keith Kizer gave him the option to take the money and run.  Realizing the Filipino people were looking forward to watching the fight on TV back home, he declined to take the easy way out.  Besides, it was a matter of honor and national pride.  Nonito Jr. was determined to win for the late President Aquino.

As it turned out, Nonito Jr. entered the ring at 122 and Concepcion, 134, meaning they were three weight divisions apart.  Still, Nonito Jr. fought like a true Filipino patriot — with heart, guts and smarts.  Behind a brilliant fight plan, he outclassed Concepcion with a display of speed, scientific boxing and dazzling footwork. The punch-stats clearly showed his superiority — he landed more punches, 213-125, more jabs, 101-74 and more power punches, 112-51.  Because he was so much bigger, Concepcion never went down although he staggered at least thrice.  The judges’ scores were decisive — 117-111 by Max de Luca, 115-113 by Duane Ford and 116-112 by Jerry Roth.

In the crowd to witness the proceedings were Viloria and girlfriend Erika Navarro, Rachel’s parents Gerry and Becky, grandparents Eduardo and Ines, and sister Nicole, Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz with daughters MacKenzie and Chloe, and an elated Arum who titled the promotion “Pinoy Power 2.”  The first “Pinoy Power” card was when Nonito Jr. and Viloria headlined a show at the Big Dome last April.

What made the win even more impressive was Nonito Jr.’s post-fight disclosure that as early as the first round, he had hurt his left hand.  Despite the pain, he persevered for 12 rounds in beating Concepcion — for the Filipino nation, the Filipino people and former President Aquino.

The day after the fight, Nonito Jr. and Rachel took a Philippine Airlines flight back to Manila. He arrived to a hero’s welcome then was whisked to the GMA studios for TV guest appearances and taping of two Celebrity Duets episodes.  The next day, he was feted in a motorcade around Manila by Mayor Alfredo Lim who gave him a P500,000 bonus for the win over Concepcion. 

Yesterday, he was at St. Luke’s Hospital for x-rays and bone scans of both hands.  Dr. Raul Canlas said he suspects a stress fracture in the left hand but ruled out surgery, assuring there will be enough healing time to prepare for his next fight, possibly against Jorge Arce with the IBF superflyweight title at stake, on Dec. 12 in Las Vegas.