MANILA, Philippines - Filipino three-division world champion and the world’s consensus top five pound-for-pound boxer Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire assures boxing enthusiasts he will crush Argentine champion Omar Narvaez in their much-anticipated bout this Sunday.
“I’m going to try to go 12 rounds to get ready so you will have confidence in me that if I can’t take this guy early, I know I can go 12 rounds,” Donaire told the ABS-CBN North America Bureau.
Donaire is set to defend his WBC and WBO bantamweight belts against Narvaez in their title fight to be broadcast live by ABS-CBN Sports from the WaMu Theater in Madison Square Garden, New York City, USA at 10:15 AM on ABS-CBN Channel 2.
“The Filipino Flash” (26-1-0, 18 KOs), a General Santos native, notably scored the championship in their fight last February when he knocked out former defending WBC/WBO bantamweight champion Fernando Montiel in round 2, ending Montiel’s 25-bout winning streak.
Boxing fans all over the world are also anticipating whether he will be able to tarnish the impressive record of former Olympian Narvaez, who boasts 35 wins, no loss, and 19 knockouts.
Narvaez, the current bearer of the WBO junior bantamweight belt, captured his first world title – the WBO flyweight championship – in his 12th professional fight and successfully defended it 16 times during his seven-year reign before vacating it in early 2010 to campaign at a heavier weight class.
The bout will be aired at 10:15 a.m. on ABS-CBN, with replay on Studio 23 at 7 p.m.