Kahit saan dalhin ang laban, Donaire hindi uurong

Kahit saan dalhin ang kanilang laban ni South African challenger Moruti Mthalane ay hindi magiging sagabal para sa pagdedepensa ni Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire, Jr. ng kanyang dalawang suot na world flyweight belts.

 Ito ang inihayag kahapon ni Nonito Donaire, Sr. hinggil sa plano ni Branco Milenkovic, nakikipag-usap kay Bob Arum ng Top Rank Promotions, na itakda ang laban ni Donaire kay Mthalane sa South Africa. 

 “No one contacted us and we are still waiting,” ani Donaire, Sr. “But in the event the fight comes to a purse bid and Milenkovic wins and brings the fight to South Africa, we are willing to face Mthalane over there. We will fight Mthalane anywhere.”

 Nagkaroon rin ng balitang iiwanan na ng 25-anyos na si Donaire ang kanyang hawak na International Boxing Federation (IBF) at International Boxing Organization (IBO) flyweight titles para umakyat sa super flyweight division.

 Ngunit ito ay pinabulaanan ni Donaire, Sr.

“Jun-Jun and the rest of the Team worked so hard to win the title and we are not about to give it up and seek titles in the heavier weight class,” ani  Donaire, Sr. “We may fight as super flyweight, but we are keeping the flyweight title we have right now. They have to beat us to get the title from us.”

 Ang mandatory fight kay Mthalane ang siyang ikalawang title defense ni Donaire matapos umiskor ng isang eight-round TKO kay Mexican challenger Luis Maldonado noong Disyembre 1 ng 2007. (Russell Cadayona)