MANILA, Philippines — Muling aakyat sa boxing ring si dating world four-division champion Nonito Donaire Jr. upang labanan si Alexandro Santiago ng Mexico para sa bakanteng World Boxing Council (WBC) bantamweight belt ngayon (Manila time) sa T-Mobile Arena sa Las Vegas, Nevada.
Ang bakbakan nina Donaire at Santiago ay nasa undercard ng title unification fight nina Americans Errol Spence Jr. at Terrence Crawford.
Hangad ng 40-anyos na tubong Talibon, Bohol na maging pinakamatandang bantamweight champion sa pagharap sa 27-anyos na Mexican fighter.
Huling lumaban si Donaire noong Hunyo ng nakaraang taon kung saan siya natalo kay Japanese star Naoya Inoue via second round knockout.
“This has been a blessing for me, an opportunity this big with a big fight with bigger crowds. I think this is what it made for, you know, for some reasons I’m just more energized,” ani Donaire.
Dadalhin ni Donaire sa ibabaw ng boxing ring ang kanyang 42-7-0 win-loss-draw ring record tampok ang 28 KOs habang bitbit ni Santiago ang 27-3-0 (14 KOs).
Gusto pa rin ni Donaire na maging isang unified champion sa bantamweight division at target na labanan sina World Boxing Association (WBA) titlist Takuma Inoue at World Boxing Organization (WBO) king Jason Moloney.