Donaire Dropping Down a To Super Bantam

The Super Bantamweight division is getting a shot in the arm and a new challenge for Quigg and Frampton.

Rigondeaux, Frampton, Santa Cruz, Quigg and now Donaire should set up a nice series of fights.


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From ESPN

Former four-division titleholder Nonito Donaire had some success as a featherweight, knocking out Vic Darchinyan for the second time in 2013 and then winning a world title by fifth-round technical decision against Simpiwe Vetyeka in May.

But the 2012 fighter of the year also suffered a rough sixth-round knockout loss to Nicholas Walters on Oct. 18, who dropped him twice and took his world title.

But now Donaire (33-3, 21 KOs), who has won world titles at flyweight, bantamweight, junior featherweight and featherweight (plus an interim belt at junior bantamweight) is thinking about his return to the ring. Manager Cameron Dunkin told ESPN.com on Monday night that Donaire will return to junior featherweight for his comeback, which likely will take place in May on one of Top Rank’s cards in Macau.

Dunkin said he has talked to Top Rank’s Bob Arum and Rachel Donaire, Nonito’s wife, who is closely involved in his career, about the plan.

“That’s what we are trying to do and he’s going to fight at 122,” Dunkin said. “We’ve talked about it but don’t know who we are going to fight yet. But Nonito wants to fight and we’ll get him fighting again. He knows he can’t fight at that weight [126 pounds]. He can beat a lot of featherweights, don’t get me wrong. But he’s used to beating everyone and being the best. He’s going back to 122 where he can do that.”

The 32-year-old “Filipino Flash” had some success against Walters, including nearly dropping him with a huge left hook late in the second round. It was the kind of punch Donaire used to knock smaller out opponents with. Walters, however, is a big, strong featherweight and took the shot.

“Nonito was one punch away from winning that fight in the second round,” Dunkin said. “We had talked about it before the fight for a long time about moving up in weight all the time. I was against it. Those guys are so big, but he said, ‘Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it.' And he did. He won some fights at 126, but he didn’t look like the Nonito we were used to. After [the Walters fight] was over, he said, ‘You’re right, I can’t fight these guys at 126. They’re just too big.’ So he’ll go back down to 122 and become a champion again. He’s not done and he has a lot of pride.”

It'll be interesting to see how Donaire goes about this rebuilding process in terms of who he fights. His track record suggests he'd jump right back in there with a world title holder if he could and even if he can't get that first up, it's unlikely he'll have more than one fight before he gets a shot considering his profile and the fact that he's looking ever-more beatable. For someone like Santa Cruz or Frampton, it might just be the opportune moment to try and get that massive name on their CV. Still too dangerous for Quigg and Hearn's liking, though, particularly as they're unlikely to get Donaire over to the UK.

A Rigondeaux rematch might well end up materialising as Rigondeaux is having trouble attracting new, big names and needs something to get himself back in the limelight. Donaire can't outbox him but as ever he'd have a decent puncher's chance, and both have had outings in the far east lately which would be the likely venue.

Just wonder if Donaire really has the hunger for it now, though. In the run up to the Walters fight he admitted he'd been pondering retirement as far back as the Nishioka fight in October 2012 and that, with his personal life now balanced and so many achievements in the ring already accomplished, he's not really focussed on boxing the way he used to be. He also acknowledged pretty candidly that his powers are on the wane and that he can't do the things he used to do. Pretty rare for a fighter to come out and say this, regardless of whether or not the fans agree, and strikes me as a bit odd that he'd be willing to give any future opponents even an ounce of extra encouragement like that.

To counter that, he did say he'd driven himself harder than ever in the gym for Walters....But aside from that left hook which might have turned it in his favour had it landed twenty seconds earlier, all that effort ended up yielding just a pretty painful, one-sided beating. Might take a bit of coming back from mentally so I just hope he's carrying on for the right reasons as he's been a favourite of mine ever since he flattened Darchinyan with that left back in 2007.

Can only see it as a plus for Donaire at this point in his career, was so explosive at 118 but at 126 he seems like he's just trying to take you out with a single shot and doesn't have the size to best the very very best

Haven't really seen Donaire look electric since Montiel, but he's only just gone 32 and apart from walters he's never in tear ups so he should have a lot left physically it's just how he is mentally thats the worry

He's got obvious hand speed, good skills and a lethal left hook, he can take nayone out on his day. Would like to see hiom against the top dogs at 122, would make only Rigondeux favourite over him. Frampton hasn't fought anyone who is as good a boxer as Nonito or someone as explosive and LSC and Quigg prefer to be on the front foot throwing lots of punches which will allow donaire opportunities to land so think he beats them two whereas Framtpon is a close fight

Rigondeaux has being making noise about forcing the WBA to make the fight with Quigg. I could see Quigg giving up the paper belt.

Donaire was somewhat overrated over recent years and seems to have lost his desire. Still a nice addition to super bantam (will Abner Mares follow suit?). Now we just need the top men to start fighting one another.

Sensible move from Donaire. He didn't look big enough against Walters. It could all just be hiding the fact that he is done at this level but he brings skills and money to the division. Just hope they don't all avoid him like they do Rigo.

If I was Rigo I'd be doing the same. I'd be banging the drum and just chasing every champ in the division. Starting with the "world" champion joke that is Quigg.

Missed this..............

Clutching at straws now Donaire isn't he............

But hey who wouldn't want to see Frampton - Donaire......... or Quigg - Donaire.........

Think Frampo beats him now.......Maybe quigg too..........

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Missed this..............

Clutching at straws now Donaire isn't he............

But hey who wouldn't want to see Frampton - Donaire......... or Quigg - Donaire.........

Think Frampo beats him now.......Maybe quigg too..........

I will never understand people hating on Donaire, consistently fights the best, subscribes to all year drug testing, doesn't shoot his mouth off and gives us bone crunching knockouts.

Still a huge fan and always will be, good luck to him, he has more than enough to beat Frampton and Quigg, you get caught by that left hook and you go to sleep.

Does anyone really give Donaire any serious stick, BF88? The impression I get is that he's one of the most liked and respected fighters out there on this forum, mate. Don't think anyone would argue that his ambition in fighting the best names and his stance on proving he's a clean athlete have been good for the sport and commendable.

There might have been a bit of a backlash against him over the past couple of years and he's effectively fallen off the edge of the cliff pretty quickly having been talked up as a legend in waiting up until the Rigondeaux fight, but I don't think he gets too much of a hard time. Imagine most would be very happy to see him bag another title back down at 122 and wouldn't completely write him off even in a Rigondeaux rematch. Difficult to say with absolute conviction until we've seen him back in the ring after the Walters KO, but I'd still back him against someone such as Frampton.

Gerry SA wrote:

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Missed this..............

Clutching at straws now Donaire isn't he............

But hey who wouldn't want to see Frampton - Donaire......... or Quigg - Donaire.........

Think Frampo beats him now.......Maybe quigg too..........

I think Father time has arrived......................for Noni..........

My opinion............Certainly only give Frampo a chance a few years ago..

88Chris05 wrote:Does anyone really give Donaire any serious stick, BF88?

I can only think BF is referring to Truss' comments above.

Didn't really give him any stick did I ??

Depends. You said Quigg could beat him. To some that may count as stick.

Genuinely can't think of anything else that's been said to raise BF's ire.....

Not on this exact thread, but its been mentioned a few times before... also look at the general consensus on boxing forums all over the place...

The sad reality about Donaire is its because he faced the best consistently that he dropped off a cliff, I mean he was arguably top 3 p4p before Rigo, a lot of people didn't even think he would lose that fight and probably could have got away with avoiding him. Boxers take risks get beat and then pretty much have to start from square one.

Personally I think that is one of the reasons there is so much ducking, I mean just look at Quillin, Garcia to name a few culprits.... But I bet you they would be far more interested if their career didn't go down the pan after just one loss, that seems to be what happens these days....

The sad reality is this is what is happening right now and names are marketed rather than competitive fights and undefeated records are the be all and end all.