Donaire-Rigondeaux possible for April 27th in Las Vegas, Nevada

01/17/2013 ESB

rigondeaux234 By Rob Smith: Bob Arum says a fight between WBO super bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire (31-1, 20 KO’s) and WBA champion Guillermo Rigondeaux (11-0, 8 KO’s) is possible for April 27th at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. Arum says he’ll try to make the fight that Donaire wants against WBC super bantamweight champion Abner Mares, but if that fight can take place then it’s going to be Donaire-Rigondeaux in April.

Speaking with RingTV, Arum said “We will see [Donaire fight] again hopefully in April. I we can free up Mares, that would be a good fight. If we can’t, then probably Rigondeaux.”

Arum obviously wants the Rigondeaux-Donaire fight because he would be helping out both of his fighters by making this fight. He promotes Rigondeaux as well, and the Cuban fighter badly wants to fight Donaire. A win for Rigondeaux over Donaire would dramatically increase his popularity among U.S boxing fans, although not to the same level as Donaire of course. Donaire has a huge built in Filipino fan base that follow his fights avidly.

Donaire’s wife pregnant, he doesn’t want to fight June, July or August

01/14/201301/13/2013 ESB

By Jeff Sorby: WBA super bantamweight champion Guillermo Rigondeaux may not like this news. WBO super bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire said on his facebook page his wife is pregnant and that he doesn’t fight in June, July or August because he wants to be with her during this time. Said he’d turn down even millions of dollars if it were offered to him.

Donaire voted Fighter of the Year for 2012

09/14/201601/01/2013 ESB

By Rob Smith: WBO super bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire (31-1, 20 KO’s) has been selected as Fighter of the Year for 2012. Donaire got the nod over 39-old Juan Manuel Marquez, who fought only twice in 2012 compared to the four times that Donaire fought. Donaire’s selection was based on wins over Jorge Arce, Wilfredo Vazquez Jr., Jeffrey Mathebula and Toshiaki Nishioka.

Two of those fighters – Arce and Nishioka – were well respected fighters and at were at one time high quality fighters. Vazquez Jr. is one of the best fighters in the 122 pound division, although far from the best. Mathebula had recently won the IBF title against Takalani Ndovu by a 12 round split decision.

Donaire dominating Arce and Toshiaki, but struggled against Vazquez Jr. and Mathebula in wins that weren’t really impressive or even close to being impressive.

It looks like Donaire got the 2012 Fighter of the Year award based on activity level because he four times during 2012 and for his wins over the aging stars Arce and Nishioka. Watching Donaire’s performances against Vazquez Jr. and Mathebula, it would be impossible for me to give Donaire fighter of the year for those victories because Donaire really struggled in those fights and he didn’t look worthy of Fighter of the Year based on those two fights.

Does Donaire deserve Fighter of the Year?

12/23/201212/22/2012 ESB

By Rob Smith: I was kind of surprised to hear WBO super bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire’s name being mentioned by a lot of boxing fans as being a shoe-in for the 2012 Fighter of the Year award. While I think Donaire is a good fighter and has obviously had a good 2012 year in beating all four of his opponents put in with him, I don’t think the quality of his opponents is high enough for Donaire to deserve the Fighter of the Year award.

Donaire to move up in weight if he doesn’t get Rigondeaux or Mares in March or April

12/22/201212/21/2012 ESB

By Rob Smith: WBO super bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire (31-1, 20 KO’s) will be fighting in March or April, 2013, and he wants to unify the 122 pound titles in fights against WBA World super bantamweight champion Guillermo Rigondeaux or Abner Mares.

The Mares fight is something that will have to wait for a little while longer, however, because Donaire’s promoter Bob Arum is reportedly interested in matching Donaire with Rigondeaux in an in house Top Rank fight.

It makes a lot of sense for Arum to do this because it’s not a difficult fight to put together like it would be if he tried matching Donaire with the Golden Boy promoted Abner Mares, and Rigondeaux has been asking for the Donaire fight for a long time. At least this way Arum will give Rigondeaux what he wants while at the same time giving boxing fans a good fight.

Donaire said to Philstar.com “That’s [Donaire-Rigondeaux] the fight I want to happen, but I know not to wait for anyone. If they can’t make the fight happen, then I’ll move up in weight [to featherweight].”

Donaire has been saying recently that it could be difficult to set up a fight with Rigondeaux because of what the Cuban fighter might ask for in terms of money for the fight. It doesn’t look like Donaire is going to be patient with Rigondeaux like he was with the much more popular – and far less dangerous – Jorge Arce.

Rigondeaux to fight Donaire in June 2013

12/19/201212/18/2012 ESB

By Steve Mabbott, photo by Tom Casino — It looks like WBA World super bantamweight champion Guillermo Rigondeaux (11-0, 8 KO’s) will finally be getting his shot at WBO super bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire in the summer. Rigondeaux’s manager Gary Hyde is saying that Top Rank promoter Bob Arum has promised him that he’ll set up a fight between Donaire and Rigondeaux for June.

Rigondeaux, 32, has to first win his next fight on February 23rd, and then he’ll be free to face Donaire in the summer.

Hyde said to El Nuevo Herald “Rigos next fight is scheduled for February 23rd against an opponent still to be named. Promoter Bob Arum promised me Rigo-Donaire fight will be in June 2013.”
This is good news because Rigondeaux has been waiting to get a shot at Donaire for a year now, and it looks like he’ll finally be getting his big chance.

Nonito Donaire: “With the style that I’ve developed, anyone will fall”

12/17/2012 ESB

By Joseph Herron — After annihilating five-division world titlist Jorge Arce this past Saturday night at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, boxing fans around the world are anxious to see who Nonito Donaire will step in the ring with in 2013.

Most fight fans and boxing scribes have been clamoring for a Super Bantamweight showdown with WBC title holder Abner Mares or WBA champ Guillermo Rigondeaux. While the matchmaking for Donaire has most recently been decided by boxing manager extraordinaire Cameron Dunkin and Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum, “The Filipino Flash” claims that he is and always has been ready to take on the best fighters in boxing.

“As much as you want to fight someone, sometimes it just doesn’t happen in the boxing industry. It’s really not up to you unless you’re a Pacquiao or a Mayweather,” insists Nonito Donaire. “At this point in my career, I just tell my handlers that I want to fight this guy, and they see if they can make it happen.”

“If it’s not possible at the time, then they just send over the contract that says you’re fighting this person or that person. If they place Mares or Rigondeaux on that dotted line next to my name, then that’s who I’ll meet in the ring. That’s the way it usually is with me. It doesn’t matter who it is. If your name is on the contract, then that’s who I’m going to fight. It’s just a blessing to be able to fight as often as I have been.”

Donaire destroys Arce in 3rd round TKO!

12/16/201212/16/2012 ESB

By Bill Phanco, Photo: Chris Farina – Top Tank — In a dreadful mismatch, WBO super bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire (31-1, 20 KO’s) totally annihilated a smaller and older Jorge Arce (61-7-2, 46 KO’s) in stopping him in the 3rd round in front of a large crowd at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. Arce was down three times in the fight and put out of his misery with a hard left hook in the 3rd round that knocked him out.

Arce, 33, was down once in the 1st round and another two times in the 3rd round.In an interview after the fight. Arce said he was retiring. He made a reported $800,000 for the fight.

The first knockdown occurred in the 1st round when Donaire bumped into Arce, sending him to the canvas. The referee blew the call and scored it as a knockdown. Arce did very little in the round and just looked like he was afraid to get hit.

In the 2nd, Arce came out a lot more aggressive and was immediately dropped by a right hand from Donaire. After the knockdown, Arce was a little more aggressive as the took the fight to Donaire, but the action was still largely controlled by Donaire with his left hook, jabs and occasional rights.

Arce: I’m going to KO Donaire like the way Marquez did Pacquiao

12/15/201212/14/2012 ESB

By Ed Patrick: Jorge Arce (61-6-2, 46 KO’s) is predicting a knockout win on Saturday night in his fight against WBO super bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire (30-1, 19 KO’s) at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. Arce, 5’4”, is a huge underdog in this fight and few boxing fans believe him capable of beating the faster, stronger, taller and younger Donaire. If Arce is going to win it’s going to be a huge upset because he doesn’t look capable of pulling it off.

Final Press Conference: Donaire VS. Arce, Rigondeaux VS. Poonsawat

12/14/201212/13/2012 Steve Lopez

by Steve Lopez– Photo: Chris Farina – Top Rank- The stage is set for Saturday’s Jr. Featherweight showdown between highly favorite WBO Champion Nonito “Filipino Flash” Donaire and Jorge “Travieso” Arce. Wednesday marked the final press conference where fighters addressed the members of the media and to reinforce what to expect in their performances. The co-featured bout will feature Cuba’s up and coming rising star Guillermo Rigondeaux against Thailand’s Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym.

To show boxing’s global presence with fighters and fans, Wednesday’s conference featured a rather interesting mix of fighter backgrounds: Mexico, Cuba, Thailand and the Philippines. It was no surprise that each fighter, with the exception of Donaire, required a translator to get their points across. I had the privilege to attend the conference and captured some visuals and quotes from each fighter:

Guillermo Rigondeax was a man of few words ready to fight.

“Nothing much to say. We’re ready to get this going.”