Every great fighter needs a nemesis to challenge him, and long ago Nonito Donaire’s many critics picked one for him in WBA champion Guillermo Rigondeaux. Two equal champions battling for glory? That sounds much more exciting than the sobering reality that Rigondeaux is a massive underdog.
What are Donaire’s real chances of surviving Rigondeaux? Donaire’s many critics contend that Donaire’s amazing career was really just smoke and mirrors, masking the fact that he actually fought second-raters and outright bums.
Some “bums” there. Combined, Donaire’s last four opponents boast an impressive 55-8-2 record in world title fights.
And Rigondeaux? His last five opponents clock in at 2-2-2, with questionable interim titles generously included in the total.
By James Slater: In sad news, it has been reported that former top class heavyweight contender and former two-time world title challenger Carl “The Truth” Williams has passed away. Williams, just 53, lost a long battle with oesophageal cancer, passing away on April 7th.
Cassidy H. (Queens, NYC): I’ve heard you speak strongly about Donaire in the past. Seems like he has all the momentum going into his clash with Rigondeaux this week. How do you see it all playing out?
#2 WBA Marcos Maidana is picking 23-year-old Adrien Broner (26-0, 22 KO’s) to defeat WBA World welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi (32-4, 7 KO’s) in their fight on June 22nd at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Joe Calzaghe knows a thing or two about WBA super middleweight champion Mikkel Kessler (46-2, 35 KO’s) after having beaten him by a 12 round unanimous decision in a grueling fight in 2007. After watching some of his recent fights, Calzaghe believes that Kessler’s physical skills have deteriorated enough since their 2007 to where he’s now vulnerable to losing to IBF super middleweight champion Carl Froch (30-2, 22 KO’s) in their rematch on May 25th in London at the O2 Arena. 
IBF/IBO/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko (59-3, 50 KO’s) has decided to squeeze in what should be an easy stay busy fight against unbeaten challenger Francesco Pianeta (28-0-1, 15 KO’s) on May 4th at the SAP-Arena in Mannheim, Germany. 
WBC interim welterweight champion Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero (31-1-1, 18 KO’s) was recently able to WBC welterweight champ Floyd Mayweather Jr. (43-0, 26 KO’s) to agree to go toe-to-toe with him in their fight on May 4th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. 
Top heavyweight prospect 6’7” Deontay Wilder (27-0, 27 KO’s) says he’s ready to put British heavyweight Audley Harrison (31-6, 23 KO’s) out of his misery this month in ending the 41-year-old’s career by knocking him out in front of his own British fans on April 27th on the Amir Khan – Julio Diaz card at the Motorpoint Arena in Sheffield, UK. 
WBA World junior middleweight champion Austin Trout (26-0, 14 KO’s) thinks his opponent WBC junior middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (41-0-1, 30 KO’s) won’t be able to make the right adjustments when things don’t go his way this month in their fight on April 20th at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.