Mexican champ calls out Donaire

MANILA, Philippines – A newly crowned world featherweight champion wants to unify titles with WBA featherweight boss Nonito Donaire Jr.

In a statement posted in the website of the World Boxing Council, veteran Jhonny Gonzalez of Mexico expressed his intention for a showdown with Donaire.

“I would like to fight [Donaire],” he said.

Gonzalez (57-8, 48 KOs) copped the WBC featherweight title last October 4 with an 11th round technical knockout win over compatriot Jorge Arce, who interestingly also lost to Donaire via knockout in their 2012 fight.

The 33-year-old Gonzalez is known for his 2007 bout with Filipino great Gerry Penalosa, who knocked him out in the seventh round to take his WBO bantamweight crown. But the Mexican boxer has since rebounded, and on Saturday (Sunday Manila time) floored Arce thrice during their fight in Los Mochis, Mexico to become champion again.

Donaire, for his part, must first take care of business on October 18 against fellow champion Nicholas Walters, who holds the “regular” version of the WBA featherweight diadem. The two champions will lock horns at the StubHub Center in Carson, California

The Filipino-American fighter had insisted on going for unification fights since beating Simpiwe Vetyeka in Macau last May. This makes a showdown with Gonzales likely, provided he gets past Walters.