Nonito Donaire will attempt to win a Featherweight title when he takes on Simpiwe Vetyeka on May 31 in Macau on a card that will feature two other Featherweight title bouts according to Dan Rafael of espn.com
“We’re going to increase the number of cards we are going to do in Asia and we can’t have Zou Shiming on every card,” promoter Bob Arum said of the two-time Chinese Olympic gold medalist, who has been the central figure in Top Rank’s recent series of cards in Macau. “So now we have to build up interest in other fighters. Donaire (a native of the Philippines) will have a big following since it’s only an hour and five minutes by plane from Manila to Macau and there are regular flights. There’s also a big Filipino population in Macau and in Hong Kong (which is a half-hour ferry away).”
The card will also include two other featherweight world title bouts as Nicholas Walters is due to defend his belt against an opponent to be determined and Evgeny Gradovich will fight mandatory challenger Alexander Miskirtchian, the former European champion. If Donaire wins he is likely to later face one of the winners of the other title bouts, Arum said.
However, Donaire, 31, is already in training in the Philippines, where is father, Nonito Donaire Sr., is preparing him. Father and son reunited before the Darchinyan rematch following a lengthy estrangement, and Nonito Sr. worked the corner as an assistant to head trainer Robert Garcia.
Cameron Dunkin, Donaire’s manager, told ESPN.com that he was not sure what Garcia’s role would be in the training camp, if any, since he is training his other fighters at his Oxnard, Calif., gym, including Gradovich.
“Robert I’m sure will go to the fight, but I’ve got to iron all that out,” Dunkin said. “Nonito thought it was the right thing to train over there [in the Philippines] since the fight is in Asia. He’s really comfortable there and he will already be on the same time zone.”
“This is the guy who knocked out Chris John, which means something after he made 18 defenses,” Arum said. “It’s a very important fight for Donaire, obviously.”
Said Dunkin, “Nonito is really excited and motivated for this fight. It’s the most motivated I have seen him in a long, long time. Before the fight with Rigondeaux, he told he didn’t even know if he wanted to fight anymore. He had his shoulder problems and hand problems. He beat himself up because he was so active (with four fights in 2012). He wasn’t healing between fights and hard training camps.
“He told me he’s motivated for this fight and that he wants to fight and wants to show everyone what he can do and show the people who have given up on him, or think he isn’t what he once was. He wants to show people that he is still one of the best, which he is. I love that attitude. He’s a tremendous fighter and when his mind is right and he’s motivated, he’s terrific.”
“Nonito has a great deal and it will be even better if he wins this fight,” Dunkin said. “But this guy (Vetyeka) is a tough, tough guy, maybe the toughest guy Nonito has ever fought other than Rigondeaux, maybe even tougher than that because of his size. He can punch, he’s long-armed and he’s big.”
