Donaire-Gradovich fight sa Big Dome

MANILA, Philippines – Sa ikaapat na pagkakataon ay muling mapapanood ng kanyang mga kababayan si world super bantamweight cham­pion Nonito ‘The Filipi­no Flash’ Donaire, Jr.

Sinabi ni Bob Arum ng Top Rank Promotions na gagawin ni Do­­naire ang pagdedepen­sa sa kan­­yang suot na World Bo­­­xing Or­ganization crown sa Smart Araneta Co­­liseum sa Abril 23.

Makakatapat ni Do­naire (36-3-0, 23 KOs) si dating featherweight titlist at one-time trai­ning stablemate Evgeny Gra­dovich (20-1-1, 9 KOs).

“Our plans for him are to have him next fight at the world famous Araneta Colise­um in the Philippines, which 40 years ago of course hosted the “Thrilla in Manila”, (the third fight) between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier,” wika ni Arum.

Muling napasakamay ng tubong Talibon, Bohol si Donaire ang naturang korona matapos niyang talunin si Me­xican fighter Cesar Juarez (17-4-0, 13 KOs) via unanimous decision noong Disyembre 12 sa San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Ang WBO belt ay da­ting isinuot ni Donaire noong 2013 bago ito ina­gaw sa kanya ni da­ting WBO titlist at Cuban two-time Olympic gold medalist Guillermo Rigondeaux (16-0-0, 10 KOs).

“We were very, very proud of the way Noni­to won the world title in his last fight,” sabi ni Arum. “Everyone thought he was going to knock the kid out when he dropped him early, but it turned out to be a hell of a fight, a fight that Nonito survived, won and can now look to the future.”

Hindi pa natatalo si Do­naire sa Pilipinas sa kanyang apat na laban kung saan ang dalawa ri­to ay idinaos sa Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Umiskor ang 33-an­yos na si Donaire ng knockout win laban kay Raul Martinez bilang su­per flyweight noong 2009 at ang kanyang se­cond round stoppage kay William Prado no­ong Marso ng 2015.

Nauna nang nagkampeon si Donaire sa flyweight, bantamweight, su­­per bantamweight at fea­therweight divisions.

Kamakailan ay sinabi ni Gradovich na bago niya labanan si Donaire ay gusto muna niyang su­mabak sa isang tune-up fight.

Naisuko ng Russian ang kanyang dating hawak na International Bo­­xing Federation fea­ther­weight title nang ma­­talo kay Lee Selby no­­ong Mayo.

Matapos ito ay umiskor siya ng split decision win laban kay Aldimar Silva noong Oktubre sa Omaha, Nebraska.

Ito ang pinakahuling laban ni Gradovich sa featherweight class at nag­­­desisyon siyang bu­maba sa super bantamweight ca­tegory.

“2016 is a big year for our company,” sabi ni Arum, magdiriwang sa Marso ng kanyang ika-50 taon bilang pro­mo­ter. “Nonito Donaire is a major part of those plans, beginning with the big show in the Phi­lippines.”