Donaires on way up

Two Filipino flyweights are creating a stir in the US West Coast as knockout artists. They’re Glenn and Nonito Donaire–a pair of hard-hitting brothers who migrated to the US in 1993.

Glenn, 21, and Nonito, 18, broke into boxing mainstream consciousness when they reached the final stage of the Olympic trials as amateurs last year. They were both eliminated by another Filipino transplant Brian Viloria who went on to represent the Stars and Stripes in Sydney. Viloria, an Ilocano who now lives in Hawaii, made sure there would be no Donaire versus Donaire in the lightflyweight finals by beating Glenn, 10-5, and Nonito, 8-6.

The brothers turned pro last year after failing to make it to the Olympics. They’re both known in fight circles as "the Filipino Bombers." Glenn boasts a record of 5-1, with five KOs, while Nonito’s mark is 3-1, with two KOs (both in the first round).

In Inglewood last June, the Donaires appeared on the same card. Nonito outpointed Salvador Santoya in four and Glenn stopped Manuel Noyla in six. A month later, Nonito was back in the ring to pulverize Jose Luis Torres in a single round in Monterey.

A week ago, Glenn suffered his first pro setback but the decision stunk. He was decked once but floored Texas hometowner Gabriel Elizondo twice in losing a unanimous six-round decision in San Antonio. Although Elizondo was down in the first and third rounds, the three judges scored it for the local boy, 59-55, 58-56, and 58-55.

The Donaires’ father Nonito, Sr. or Nito called it a hometown decision and said one of the judges was even surnamed Elizondo–was he a relative?

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Nito, 43, served in the Philippine Army for eight years as a Private First Class and fought as an amateur before trying his luck alone in the US in 1990. A year later, his wife Imelda and their youngest child Lucky Ermie, now 16, joined him in Van Nuys. In 1993, the last wave of the Donaire family arrived–Glenn, Nonito and sister Rosiel, now 20.

Nito, who’s from South Cotabato, told The STAR in an overseas phonecall from Los Angeles yesterday that female promoter Jackie Kallen and Tommy Matias, a Filipino, are co-managing the boys in the US. Their contract stipulates a $1,500 monthly salary. Kallen’s best-known fighter was ex-world champion James (Lights Out) Toney.

Nito said both his sons are disciplined and determined fighters. They’re currently training in Joe Goossen’s gym in Van Nuys. Their routine includes three hours of gymwork a day and sparing three or four days a week. As amateurs, Glenn and Nonito compiled impressive records. Glenn posted a 58-8 slate and Nonito, 60-8. They captured a wide assortment of regional and district championships.

Glenn was born in General Santos City and Nonito, in Taliban, Bohol. Nito said his sons achieved something he never did–they finished high school at San Lazaro in San Leandro, California. Nito studied only up to second year high.

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San Francisco-based immigration lawyer Sydney Hall, who’s helping out Filipinos in the Bay Area, said the sons are "well-educated" and influenced by their father. "The boys know their options in life" they’re intelligent, they know what they want, thanks to Nito’s influence," noted Hall who met the Donaires in Los Angeles.

Don Familton, who works the Donaires’ corner with their father, spoke of the brothers ability, speed, skill and punch. They’re crowd pleasers. It’s difficult in today’s ;boxing world to transcend the smaller weight divisions for the average fan. But they fight big. They transcend the image of the kids under 118. The intangibles? They’re polite, well-mannered, disciplined kids with a terrific work ethic and tremendous dedication to succeed. They eat, sleep, and drink boxing. They’re surprisingly mature for their age. The only thing these kids have to have and this is tough, is to bring them along properly without rushing them. They’re not seasoned professional fighters by any means. They need to gain the ring generalship, the ring savvy, the strategic part of boxing that you only get with experience. Problem is, with kids this size, not to rush them into a title fight after 10 fights. If I were a promoter, I’d take a chance with these kids. I think they can generate interest."

The Donaires could be the future of Philippine boxing.