| Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire Jr. AFP FILE PHOTO |
Unified world bantamweight champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire Jr. started heavy training at the Top Rank Gym in Las Vegas Tuesday as he seeks a fourth world title on Feb. 4 against former champion Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. for the vacant World Boxing Organization super bantamweight crown.
Donaire-Vazquez will be featured in the HBO-televised Top Rank Promotions card to be headlined by Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.’s middleweight title defense against Marco Antonio Rubio at the the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
Donaire, 29, sparred three rounds each with unbeaten Russian featherweight prospect Evgeny Gradovich and Oxnard, California-based lightweight Javier Garcia.
Donaire’s trainer Robert Garcia said he has tapped bigger spar-mates for the hard-punching Filipino American star for what could be the toughest fight in Donaire’s boxing career.
Donaire (27-1, 18 by knockouts) actually began his training soon after the Catholic Church-wedding with his Filipino-American wife Rachel in the Philippines. He also worked out in course of a brief side trip to Japan.
Donaire, who is coming off a lopsided victory over previously unbeaten Omar Narvaez to keep his WBC and WBO crowns last October 22, looked sharp at the start of his official training camp in Las Vegas, Garcia said.
“Before we would use guys at the same weight class as Nonito, but he takes their shots so well. I think he should get used to bigger guys hitting him, so he’ll be sparring them for now,” Garcia told Ryan Marquiniana of BoxingScene.com.
Garcia said his prized Filipino fighter has the potentials to win more titles in higher weight classes because of his speed, power and boxing skills.
Garcia, who is favored to win Trainer of the Year honors for 2011, said Donaire may not achieve the record eight world titles won by Filipino superstar Manny Pacquiao, but Donaire could collect “a few more world titles.”
Donaire — a former world flyweight, superfly and bantamweight champion — has made known his plans to face bigger and more lucrative fights by moving up in weight and fighting the best opponents available.
At five-foot-seven inches and a natural featherweight, Donaire thinks he has what it takes to challenge former featherweight champ Juan Manuel Marquez, who will have a chance to regain his WBO featherweight title against Orlando Salido on March 31.
Still another fighter in Donaire’s sight is Olympic gold medalist and undefeated Cuban world champion Yuriorkis Gamboa, who holds the World Boxing Association super featherweight title.
Former world lightweight champion Morris East, another Filipino American who recently joined Team Donaire, has high hopes for his Pinoy compatriot.
Based and Las Vegas and now is helping Donaire with the mitts, East said Donaire has the discipline and talents of an elite world champion.
East believes that at 29, Donaire has not reached his peak and is capable of winning more titles if he decides to keep moving up in weight categories.
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