Donaire wants shot at Montiel's crown

MANILA, Philippines - Interim WBA super flyweight champion Nonito Donaire Jr. yesterday ruled out a rematch with Armenian Vic Darchinyan and expressed his desire to move up in weight to get a crack at reigning WBO bantamweight titlist Fernando Montiel.

“How can I beg him (Darchinyan) for a rematch when I was the one who knocked him out?” said Donaire in yesterday’s press conference arranged by TV network GMA 7 at its main building in Quezon City. “He should be the one asking for a re-match.”

Donaire joined the growing list of Filipino boxing champions when he knocked out Darchinyan three years ago, winning the International Boxing Federation and International Boxing Organization flyweight crowns.

“It’s been a long time, I’ve been waiting for a rematch for a long time now but I’d rather choose a champion who respects me and I respect in return,” said Donaire, ranked No. 6 pound-for-pound boxer in the world by The Ring magazine. “I have no time for games.”

Donaire, accompanied by wife Rachel, headed straight to GMA 7 upon arrival yesterday morning, fresh from knocking out Mexican challenger Manuel Vargas in the third round of their scheduled 12-round bout in Las Vegas, Nevada to retain his crown.

Meanwhile, Donaire said he will donate part of his earnings to fallen fellow boxer and friend Z Gorres.

“I would give some of my earnings to Z Gorres, a fellow fighter, a countryman and a good friend of mine,” said Donaire, who won a guaranteed purse of $250,000, or P11.5 million for his victory over Vargas.

The Donaires was welcomed by top GMA executives who included president and CEO Felipe Gozon, vice president and COO Gilberto Duavit Jr., films president Annette Gozon-Abrogar, senior VP for entertainment Wilma Galvante and VP for talent development Ida Henares.

Donaire said he also plans to fly to Cebu City to spend time with Gorres.

“I would fly to Cebu and see Z Gorres there and I’ll probably take my time,” said Donaire, who also donated P1 million to the victims of Typhoon Ondoy last year.

He said he’s ready to climb to the 118-pound division to fight Montiel.

 “I want a more challenging fight to prove my potential. I’m ready to climb from flyweight to bantamweight if in case I end up fighting Montiel,” said Donaire, who was born in Bohol and raised in Gen. Santos City where idol and Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao hails. “I want to get the best of me and with the help and support of Filipinos, I’m sure I will win.”

But the Fil-Am champion, who improved to 22 wins, including 11 KOs against a loss, said it would be better if he fights Darchinyan first before taking on Montiel.

“It would be better if I fight Darchinyan first and then Montiel later. But it seems like they want me to beg them (Darchinyan camp) to fight me, which I will not do,” said Donaire, who won three national amateur championships, including the National Silver Gloves in 1998, the National Junior Olympics in 1999 and the National USA Tournament in 2000. Donaire also captured the International Junior Olympics in 1999.   – With report from Rudy Santos