Unified bantamweight champion Nonito "The Filipino Flash" Donaire Jr. is raring to hand undefeated Argentine challenger Omar Narvaez his first defeat when they square off Sunday (in Manila) at the Madison Square Garden in New York City. Donaire, the reigning World Boxing Council (WBC) and World Boxing Organization (WBO) 118-pound titlist, made the vow in a press briefing last Wednesday when he visited Philippine Consulate General Mario De Leon Jr. at the Philippine Center in New York City, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said. The DFA said Donaire and his trainer Robert Garcia declined to make any predictions about the outcome of the fight but said that his ward will take any opportunity to knock out Narvaez. Donaire said he was fighting for the Philippines, his team and his family, and hopes to continue to inspire and encourage young people to pursue sports. He said his humble beginnings in Bohol have taught him the value of hard work and perseverance in the highly competitive and physically demanding sport of boxing. With him were wife Rachel and trainer Garcia, and other members of his team. The last Filipino boxer who had a boxing match at Madison Square Garden was the legendary Gabriel "Flash" Elorde, who fought Puerto Rican Frankie Narvaez in 1966. Donaire is also the fourth-ranked boxer in The Ring Magazine's pound-for-pound list. Meanwhile, De Leon said Donaire "serves as an inspiration not only for aspiring boxers in the Philippines but also for Filipino-American athletes working to make their mark in the United States." Source:- http://www.gmanews.tv/story/236239/sports/donaire-vows-to-hand-opponent-first-defeat
Overtrained? Donaire tips scales at 116.25 lbs Everyone expected Nonito Donaire Jr., to make weight for his first—and last—bantamweight title defense. No one expected him to be so light, however. Donaire, wearing boxers with the logo of comic book hero "The Flash" in accordance with his nickname "The Filipino Flash," raised concerns of overtraining when he tipped the scales at the surprisingly low tally of 116.25 pounds for his matchup with undefeated Argentine champion Omar Narvaez Saturday night at The Theater at Madison Square Garden. Donaire's weight was the first time in his three bantamweight fights that he has weighed in under the limit, which was closer to the super-flyweight limit of 115 pounds. Narvaez, who is moving up to bantamweight after winning world titles at 112 and 115 pounds, weighed in slightly heavier at 117 pounds. Donaire, 26-1 (18 knockouts) of San Leandro, Calif., by way of Bohol, Philippines is currently fourth in The Ring Magazine's pound-for-pound rankings, while the 36-year-old Narvaez, 36-0-2 (19 KOs) of Cordoba, Argentina is generally considered to be the best fighter at 115 pounds. After making weight, Donaire was brisked away by his team to quickly rehydrate, as his assistant coach and former world champion Morris East waited with Donaire's ritual post-weighin meal of green bananas and chicken soup. Read more here:- http://www.gmanews.tv/story/236216/sports/overtrained-donaire-tips-scales-at-11625-lbs
Overtrained? Donaire tips scales at 116.25 lbs Everyone expected Nonito Donaire Jr., to make weight for his first—and last—bantamweight title defense. No one expected him to be so light, however. Donaire, wearing boxers with the logo of comic book hero "The Flash" in accordance with his nickname "The Filipino Flash," raised concerns of overtraining when he tipped the scales at the surprisingly low tally of 116.25 pounds for his matchup with undefeated Argentine champion Omar Narvaez Saturday night at The Theater at Madison Square Garden. Donaire's weight was the first time in his three bantamweight fights that he has weighed in under the limit, which was closer to the super-flyweight limit of 115 pounds. Narvaez, who is moving up to bantamweight after winning world titles at 112 and 115 pounds, weighed in slightly heavier at 117 pounds. Donaire, 26-1 (18 knockouts) of San Leandro, Calif., by way of Bohol, Philippines is currently fourth in The Ring Magazine's pound-for-pound rankings, while the 36-year-old Narvaez, 36-0-2 (19 KOs) of Cordoba, Argentina is generally considered to be the best fighter at 115 pounds. After making weight, Donaire was brisked away by his team to quickly rehydrate, as his assistant coach and former world champion Morris East waited with Donaire's ritual post-weighin meal of green bananas and chicken soup. Read more here:- http://www.gmanews.tv/story/236216/sports/overtrained-donaire-tips-scales-at-11625-lbs
Donaire wins over scared Argentinian foe As exciting as Nonito Donaire Jr. had been in recent fights, it still takes two to tango. In front of a near-capacity crowd of 4,425 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden, Pound for Pound elite Donaire won all 12 rounds on all three judges' scorecards over a highly tentative Omar Narvaez of Cordoba, Argentina, to retain his bantamweight world title. It was a bore of a fight, the kind that leaves a sour taste in boxing fans' mouths and makes future fights difficult to sell. It was not Donaire's fault, however. "The Filipino Flash" (now 27-1, 18 KO) of San Leandro, Calif., by way of Bohol, Philippines, punched and punched at the awkward Narvaez (35-1-2, 19 KO), who was content to just survive the 12-round distance. By the final round, restless fans were chanting expletives as Donaire dropped his hands in an attempt to bait Narvaez into engaging. "I did my best, I'm sorry it didn't come out the way we all wanted," said Donaire, who thanked the large Filipino-American contingent that came out for his first bout in The Big Apple. "I have a lot of respect for him, [Argentina has Sergio] Martinez, [Marcos] Maidana, they all come to fight. I felt as great as he was. He didn't come here to fight today." "He didn't fight, he didn't even try to fight," said a disgusted Cameron Dunkin, Donaire's long-time manager. "But he's a 36-year-old man in his first big fight out of the country. I think he fought like a guy who didn't want to get hurt." Dunkin said that WBC super bantamweight champ Toshiaki Nishioka of Japan, WBO super bantamweight champ Jorge Arce of Mexico, and Puerto Rican 122-pound contender Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. were in the running for Donaire's next opponent. Narvaez's behavior post-fight was just as disengaging. After the fight, he went right to his dressing room and did not come out to answer questions from the press, just as he avoided media attention for most of his stay in New York. Donaire's trainer Roberto Garcia said that he focused on keeping Donaire on track in between rounds and combating Donaire's growing frustration with his opponent's unwillingness to fight. "He was getting bored. He actually told us, 'I'm… bored already.' I said, 'OK, Nonito, this guy don't [sic] want to fight. I don't want you to get careless and lose your head and make a mistake because he is a very experienced fighter." Rachel, Donaire's wife, was also bored with Narvaez's performance. "If we knew Narvaez wouldn't fight, we might as well have gotten a statue in Central Park to fight Nonito tonight," said Rachel. "I think he threw about ten punches the whole fight." The couple are scheduled to remarry on November 11, 2011 Source:- http://www.gmanews.tv/story/236302/sports/donaire-wins-over-scared-argentinian-foe
