SAN CARLOS, CA (July 16, 2013) – Hot prospect, Bruno Escalante (8-1-1, 4 KOs) is looking to make a name for himself in the Super flyweight division. Born in Cebu City, Philippines, Escalante now resides in Northern California where he trains with Nonito Donaire, Brian Schwartz and Mike Bazzel.

Having won his last fight by knockout by way of a vicious body shot, Escalante feels his power will be more evident as he’s been improving on his body attack. His next opponent will be Manuel Galaviz (7-10, 4 KOs) of Sonora, Mexico on July 26, 2013 at Fox Theater in Redwood City, California. Escalante vs. Galviz will be the co-main attraction of the night.

“I know I have the ability to take out my opponents and slow them down with hard body shots,” said Escalante. “I’ve been improving on body attack for the last few months and I can see why it’s so important to go downstairs. With every fight I’m feeling more comfortable throwing my right hook to the ribs. I’m getting better every time I step in the ring.”

Manager Herb Stone feels Escalante has the ability to become a world champion and feels his style is fan friendly. Escalante is known for being explosive with his punches.

“Bruno has a lot of talent and he has the skills to become a world champion,” Stone said. “This will be his third fight of the year and I can see the improvement with each fight. He’s becoming very popular in his hometown of San Carlos where he trains with some of the best fighters in the world. The Fox Theater in Redwood City is becoming a great venue to build up his fan base. I see him fighting for a regional title very soon.”

Training with Nonito Donaire has been very instrumental and inspiring to Escalante’s career. Donarie started off at the smaller weights and worked his way to the top of the pound for pound list, a feat Escalante sees as inspiration.

“Nonito is one of the best fighters in the world,” stated Escalante. “He suffered a loss early in his career but bounced back to gain international recognition with an incredible winning streak. I know if I work hard I can become a world champion and represent my country with honor, just like Donaire and Pacquiao. The time is now to take my career to the next level. On July 26th I’m coming to make a statement.”

The Fox Theater Fights is brought to you by Don Chargin Productions and Paco Presents in association with Jorge Marron Productions.

Tickets for the Fox Theater Fights in Redwood City priced $35, $45, $50 and $60 can be purchased at the Fox Theater Box Office, online at FOXRWC.com or PACOPRESENTSBOXING.com, or by calling the Undisputed Boxing Gym (650) 631-3781 or B Street Boxing Gym (650) 342-7408.

The Fox Theater in Redwood City is located at 2215 Broadway Street Redwood City, CA 94063. Doors open at 6:00 PM first fight at 7:00 PM.

LAS VEGAS, NEV. (June 4, 2013) — Top Rank announced today the signing of undefeated light heavyweight contender “Irish” SEANIE MONAGHAN. One of the top boxing gate attractions in his native New York, Monaghan (18-0, 11 KOs), of Long Beach, NY, captured the World Boxing Council (WBC) Continental Americas light heavyweight title on June 14, 2012, via an eighth-round TKO of Romaro Johnson and successfully defended it last October 24, winning a unanimous decision over Rayco Sanders. Known for his aggressive style and good punching power, especially to the body, Monaghan, 31, is currently world-rated No. 11 by the World Boxing Association (WBA) and No. 18 by the WBC. In last his fight, on April 13, he scored a first-round knockout of Dion Stanley on the undercard of the Nonito Donaire – Guillermo Rigondeaux world junior featherweight championship at Radio City Music Hall.

“It’s an honor to sign with Top Rank. I have really improved and I know Top Rank will work hard to get me the big fights,” said Monaghan.

“We are very excited. Seanie has fought on some Top Rank-promoted boxing events and everyone with the company is very professional. Top Rank is the No. 1 promoter in the world,” said P.J. Kavanagh, Monaghan’s manager. “Seanie wants to fight for the world title and we think being with Top Rank will help us get there. The sky’s the limit for Seanie. We are moving forward with Top Rank.”

“We are delighted that Seanie has decided to be promoted by Top Rank. He is a fan-friendly fighter who has a large and loyal fan base,” said Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum. “We expect to showcase his talents on the televised undercard of the much anticipated Juan Manuel Márquez vs. Timothy Bradley pay-per-event on October 12 at the Thomas and Mack in Las Vegas.”

“Top Rank has had the pleasure of working with Seanie and his team on some of our recent high-profile shows in New York. He has a loyal and rabid fan base that brings excitement to our events. We look forward to building on that momentum,” said Carl Moretti, Top Rank’s Vice President, Boxing Operations. “Seanie’s team has done a terrific job in developing him as an attraction and as a top-light heavyweight prospect. Top Rank’s goal will be to bring him to the next level nationally and internationally as well as secure a world title opportunity.”

For fight updates go to www.toprank.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/trboxing or facebook.com/trboxeo and on Twitter at twitter.com/trboxing or twitter.com/trboxeo.

Former four division champion Nonito Donaire had successful surgery on his right shoulder that followed his unanimous decision defeat to Guillermo Rigondeaux on April 13th according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

“It’s just tender, totally tender,” Donaire told ESPN.com on Tuesday. “I’m trying to stretch it and I’m in physical therapy, trying to get it stretched out and get the shoulder back to normal.

“They fixed it up and when they were doing it they found the bone spur and bone basically floating in the middle of my joint that they vacuumed out,” he said. “The doctor did an amazing job. I’m already moving my arm. They expect me to be in a sling, but I don’t like being confined. They said the procedure went well and that if I can bear the pain, I could move it around and stretch, just not anything too strenuous. So I’m not wearing a sling and I’m stretching it out, but it feels like somebody is constantly punching me in the arm.”

“I’ve always felt the pain for quite a while,” he said. “The right shoulder was bothering me bad. I went to the doctor in January and the doctor was freaking me out saying he thought it was a full tear. But I wanted to fight. In the back of my head I thought it could be a career-ender, but I wanted to fight and all during training camp I didn’t use my right. I thought I would be able to do good with setting everything up with the left. Going into a fight with an elite fighter not at 100 percent is a big mistake and that is something I learned. You can’t take anyone lightly.”

“I have to get the left one fixed also,” Donaire said. “Every time I move at a different angle, the tendon is rubbing against the bone, so once my right shoulder heals I will go back and get the left one done, and I will come back stronger.

“I learned in that fight [with Rigondeaux], it’s a learning experience to make me stronger when I come back.”

When he does return, probably in the fall, Donaire, whose wife is expecting their first child, a son, in July, said he likely will move up one division to featherweight.

“I think 122 is kind of too small for me at this point, but with proper weight management I could make it happen, but only if I could get a rematch [with Rigondeaux],” Donaire said.

But he also acknowledged that Top Rank, his promoter, could offer him a fight with Mexico’s Victor Terrazas, who claimed a vacant junior featherweight title via split decision against countryman Cristian Mijares on Saturday night in Mexico City.

“If Top Rank is giving me Terrazas, I guess maybe,” Donaire said. “I feel I would be more comfortable and stronger at 126. I just want to fight the best out there.”

FORT WORTH, Texas – The hardest part about this thing we do is not, as novelist Philip Roth once put it, that everything must be written about, but that everything can be. Such a thought visited, Saturday, while sitting near a stage on which Natalie Merchant performed. I forwent a trip to New York City and a boxing-writers dinner and a prizefight, Guillermo Rigondeaux versus Nonito Donaire, that interested me, to see Merchant, tickets to whose concert I purchased months before Donaire fought Jorge Arce in Houston.

Nothing about the previous week’s trip to Ireland haunted me much as this concert did, because I pledged before boarding an Aer Lingus flight nothing about Ireland would find its way in this column. With the year’s largest consequential fight thus far, Mexican Saul “Canelo” Alvarez versus New Mexican Austin “No Doubt” Trout, happening Saturday at Alamodome in San Antonio, though, connections had to be made because that is how columns work, and the connection between Merchant and Alvarez was, and is, grace.

Grace is not a word one freely associates with Mexican prizefighters, or prizefighters of any ethnicity, but in the swirl of impressions that happened Saturday in the Bass Performance Hall of this underestimated city’s Symphony Orchestra, “grace” was the very word that came to mind because of what happened at the press conference announcing Canelo vs. Trout one month ago at Alamodome, San Antonio’s signature edifice that will hold more than 30,000 people Saturday because Alvarez is that popular and Texas, frankly, is the one American state so interested in our sport.

After the usual things were said in the usual way by the usual people – one of the wonders of streaming video: today, no editor expects deadline coverage of such banality – there were side interviews ready to commence for television and television and television, and a local reporter or two, adjusting in no way the hands of what clock tells us what media matters. Before those loopy questions might be asked loopingly, to be televised in loops, though, Alvarez, dressed in a shiny battleship-gray suit and matching tie on synthetic black background, was brought to the stagefront’s extended tongue, to greet admirers for a moment or two of that spirited miming known as Connection with the Fans. But Alvarez began to sign anything handed him with any implement handed him, and while promoter Oscar De La Hoya shyly flapped a wing fans-ward, from a studiously selected perch 15 feet back of the scavengers, Alvarez signed and signed.

Thrice that I counted, Alvarez was asked to stop signing things and attend to the promotionally essential matter of television cameras. And thrice that I counted, he dismissed the request with hardly an acknowledgement – “You want me to be a ticket-seller in los estados unidos, ¿no?” – inconveniencing himself with not two syllables of explanation. Before he finished signing gloves and shirts and posters and programs and hats, numerous items for numerous folks, to tell television cameras he feels strong and is excited to be in, let’s see, San Antonio?, yes, San Antonio, he smilingly saluted the hoi polloi, hundreds strong, smaller and browner and towing a child or two, kept from him by a flat aluminum barricade, promising to sign their items, too, before he left.

What special effects Alvarez brings are natural, meaning authentic, and he appears to realize it: To date, his red hair and freckled complexion have distinguished him most from the large ranks of his countrymen’s prizefighters; Juan Manuel Marquez, for example, still could not sell 30,000 tickets in San Antonio three weeks before opening bell – and no, meritocracy has nothing to do with this, and yes, every ticket is sold: The Alamodome box office had nary an offering Friday morning. And meritocracy returns us to Saturday’s concert.

Natalie Merchant was the lead vocalist for 10,000 Maniacs before her 18th birthday, and possessed two platinum and four gold records before she turned 30, and has grown increasingly obscure since. She will turn 50 this year; her hair is timberwolf grey, not silver, her flat, once-almost-pretty features are overripe, and despite her confessed efforts she has acquired a pound of girth for every year since the 1992 MTV Unplugged performance that likely marked the last time anyone reading this saw or thought of her, if then. She was more effortful, Saturday, than her writing and singing imply; there were more clenched fists, more appeals for audience patience, and more autobiographical exposition than even her best song, “Tell Yourself” – one at whose singing she failed thrice, turning her back to the audience and sobbing, finally – anticipates.

Thirty minutes before, she found a very young boy in the audience, there with his mother and dressed in a dark suit not unlike Canelo’s, and gave him a signed copy of her book of collected children’s poetry, asking if this were his first concert, and when he said it was, Merchant offered:

“You will be proud to be able to say this was your first concert. In 25 years, a whole lot of people are going to be pretending Justin Bieber was not their first concert, and you won’t have to.”

It said much about how Merchant views her place in the canon of popular music, and it has some application to Canelo Alvarez for this obvious reason: He is the nearest thing prizefighting now has to Justin Bieber. His popularity dwarfs his achievement. His popularity dwarfs his potential for achievement, too; if we’re being honest, there is exactly no chance Alvarez will retire more accomplished than Juan Manuel Marquez, but he may outgross him many times over.

Today Saturday’s fight is not about Austin Trout at all, which is why this column has not been either. It says here, though, by the reading of the judges’ last scorecard this weekend, most accounts will treat Trout in the bitter way boxing’s habitués increasingly do everything: “Another robbery!” “Texas-sized Larceny!” “Someone Been Fishin’ in Trout’s Pond!”

I’ll take Alvarez, then, SD-12, in a fight honest hands score for Trout, 8-3-1.

Bart Barry can be reached at bart.barrys.email (at) gmail.com

NEW YORK–Guillermo Rigondeaux boxed his way to a twelve round unanimous decision over 2012 Fighter of the Year Nonito
Donaire to win the WBO and retain the WBA Super Bantamweight championship at Radio City Music Hall.

In round one it looked like the fight could turn into a barn burner as the two tried to exchange with hard shots. It was Rigondeaux straight lefts and a hard right which was the difference in the opening frame. Rigondeuax would beat Donaire to the punch and be able to slide away before Donaire could respond with anything of consequence. Donaire seemed to follow Rigondeaux around the ring rather then cut him off.

The quick shots of Rigondeaux was able to cause some swelling around Donaire’s eyes as early as round seven. Donaire would be coming forward and it seemed like he was on the verge of winning some rounds but Rigondeaux would land a couple shots and be able to build a lead. Rigondeaux was able to overcome a shake beginning to round ten as he was thrown down early in the round which was ruled a slip but seconds later Donaire landed a hard left off a break that sent the Cuban down to the canvas. That woke Rogoindeaux up as he finished the round pretty good and the knockdown was more of an aberration than anything else. Rigindeaux was solid with the straight left and hurt Donaire in the final round with that punch and even closed the right eye of Donaire. It was a solid performance from Rogondeaux in terms of beating a top pound for pound fighter but his defensive style did not thrill most of the pro-Donaire crowd in attendance.

Rigondeaux, 121.5 lbs of Miami won by scores of 116-111, 115-112 and 114-113 and is now a unified champion ar=t 12-0. Donaire, 121.6 lbs of General Santos City, Philippines lost for the first time in twelve years and falls to 31-2.

Hot prospect Felix Verdajo scored an explosive 1st round stoppage over Steven Gutierrez in a scheduled four round Jr. Lightweight contest.

Verdajo dropped Gutierrez with a hard right and then for a second and final time with a blistering uppercut and the bout was waved off at 1:50 of round one.

Verdajo, 131.5 lbs of San Juan, PR is now 5-0 with four knockouts. Gutierrez, 130 lbs of Fort Worth, TX is now 4-4-1.

Popular New York Light Heavyweight Seanie Monaghan scored a first round stoppage over Rex Stanley in a scheduled eight round bout.

Monaghan scored a knockdown from a overhand right and it appeared that Stanley hurt his foot when he tried to get up and the fight was waved off at 1:51 of round one.

Monaghan, 176 lbs of Long Beach, NY is now 18-0 with 11 knockouts. Stanley, 177 lbs of Kansas City, MO is 11-5-0-1.

Good looking Super Middleweight prospect Jesse Hart scored a vicious third round stoppage over Marlon Farr in a scheduled four round bout.

Hart landed a hard combination that resulted with Farr being dropped to the ropes and the bout was stopped at 1:33 of round three.

Hart, 169 lbs of Philadelphia, PA is 7-0 with 5 knockouts. Farr, 170 lbs of Zephyrhills, FL is 2-3.

Hard punching Welterweight prospect Mikael Zewski took out Daniel Sostre in round two of a scheduled eight round bout.

Zewski scored a knockdown in round two and finished the fight with a barrage of punches and the bout was stopped at forty-nine seconds of round two.

Zewski, 148.5 lbs if Trois-Rivieres, Quebec is now 19-0 with 15 knockouts. Sostre, 147 lbs of New York, NY is now 11-9-1.

Glen Tapia remained undefeated by scoring a eight round unanimous decision over Joseph de los Santos in a Jr. Middleweight bout.

Scores were 80-72 on all cards for Tapia, 154.5 lbs of Passaic, NJ and is now 18-0. de los Santos, 153 lbs of Bayamon, PR is now 13-12-3.

Tyler Canning scored a four round split decision over Dario Soccia in a Super Welterweight bout.

Scores were 39-37 on two cards for Canning and 39-37 for Soccia.

Canning, 150 lbs of Lander, WY is 2-1. Soccia, 153 lbs of New York, NY is 2-1.

Erick De Leon opened up the show by scoring a knockdown in round one and cruising to a four round unanimous decision over Diamond Baier in a Lightweight bout.

Scores were 40-36 on two cards and 40-34 for De Lepon, 131.5 lbs of Detroit, MI and is 3-0. Baier, 131.5 lbs of Phoenix, AZ is now 2-5-1.

NEW YORK (April 12, 2013) – The last remaining ticket to Saturday’s eagerly-anticipated world title unification battle between 2012 Fighter of the Year and World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior featherweight champion NONITO “Filipino Flash” DONAIRE and undefeated World Boxing Association (WBA) super bantamweight champion and former two-time Cuban Olympic gold medalist GUILLERMO “El Chacal” RIGONDEAUX, which will take place on New York’s biggest stage — Radio City Music Hall – was sold today at 5:11 p.m. ET. The fight will be witnessed by a capacity crowd of 6,145. Donaire vs. Rigondeaux will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing®, beginning at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT.

“What a great achievement for this world championship fight to sell out this iconic venue,” said Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum, CEO of Top Rank. “This validates everything that is right about boxing — great fights between great champions, produces great events.”

For Top Rank, this will complete its New York Promotional Triple Crown, having already promoted world title fights at the old and the new Yankee Stadiums and numerous events at “The Mecca of Boxing,” Madison Square Garden. This also marks only the second time Radio City Music Hall has ever hosted professional boxing in its 82-year history. The first fight was the Roy Jones Jr. vs. David Telesco light heavyweight world championship on January 15, 2000.

Donaire vs. Rigondeaux is promoted by Top Rank, in association with Caribe Promotions, Tecate and Madison Square Garden. Tickets were priced at $300, $150, $75 and $35, and were available for purchase at the Radio City Music Hall Box Office, Madison Square Garden Box Office, Ticketmaster charge by phone (866-858-0008) and online at www.ticketmaster.com, www.radiocity.com and www.thegarden.com.

For fight updates go to www.toprank.com or www.hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/trboxing, facebook.com/trboxeo or facebook.com/hboboxing and on Twitter at twitter.com/trboxing, twitter.com/trboxeo or twitter.com/hboboxing.

Tyson Fury -“I pick Donaire. He’s just too classy and has the pro experience to back him up. Rigondeaux may be dangerous the first few rounds, but the longer the fight goes, the more that pro experience will show. This is not really a fight that I would bet on, it could be close.”

Steve “USS” Cunningham – “I think Donaire is going to shock a lot of people. He performs exceptionally well when the opponent is great. He steps up very well to the challenge. I think this will be a good fight.”

Curtis “Showtime” Stevens – “I think this is an excellent match up, but I think Donaire is going to take the win by KO.”

Andre Rozier, Curtis Stevens Trainer – “Donaire. I think Donaire is super sharp, from the quantity and quality of his work in his last four bouts. He just appears to be improving constantly. I’m looking forward to bout.”

Derrick Findley – “I’ve got Donaire winning. He just has too much experience in big fights as compared to Rigondeaux.”

Karl “Dynamite” Dargan – “I predict a knockout win from Donaire if he applies pressure.”

Adam “Babyface’ Kownacki – “I like Rigondeaux because he is more of a counter puncher and Donaire is a vicious attack fighter so will be open to get countered.”

Jolene Mizzone, Main Events Matchmaker – “I would have to pick Donaire – he’s far more professional and has more experience than Rigondeaux. I think it goes the distance and Donaire will win a close decision.”

Kathy Duva, Main Events CEO – “I pick Donaire. It is a very good fight. While there is no doubt that Rigondeaux was one of the greatest amateurs ever, I think that Donaire’s superior experience in the pro ranks will give him the edge. Donaire is a true student of the sport and he fights with a passion and intensity that I just don’t see in Rigondeaux who, on the other hand, is an impressive technician. It is a very interesting match-up.”

APRIL 20TH FIGHT INFO

April 20th at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York features a 12-round heavyweight battle between Tyson Fury and Steve Cunningham in the main event. Curtis Stevens will take on Derrick Findley in the 8-round middleweight co-feature. Six additional bouts are planned for the undercard. Doors open at The Theater at Madison Square Garden doors open at 1:15PM ET. The main event and co-feature will be broadcast 4PM ET on NBC as a special 2 hour afternoon presentation of NBC Fight Night. The card is presented by Hennessy Sports and Main Events.

The main event is an official IBF Heavyweight Voluntary Eliminator fight for the #2 position. The winner must meet #1 or the leading available contender to establish the mandatory challenger for Heavyweight King Wladimir Klitschko.

Tickets are priced at $25, $50, $100, $250 and $500. Tickets are available at the Madison Square Garden box office, through Ticketmaster 866-858-0008 and at ticketmaster.com. Ticket prices include a $5 Facility Surcharge. Ticketmaster purchases are subject to a Ticketmaster Surcharge. Wheelchairs, companion seats, aisle seats and Assistive Listening Devices are available 212-465-6035.

Nonito Donaire 121.6 – Guillermo Rigondeaux 121.6
Felix Verdajo 131.5 – Steve Gutierrez 131
Jesse Hart 169 – Marlon Farr 171

FRED STERNBURG: This is Top Rank’s fourth great boxing event in the span of five weeks. This Saturday it’s 2012 Fighter of the Year and WBO junior featherweight champn Nonito “Filipino Flash” Donaire taking on undefeated WBA Super Bantamweight Champion and former two-time Cuban Olympic Gold Medalist Guillermo “El Chacol” Rigondeaux in one of the most anticipated fights in many years in a terrific title unification bout for the 122 lb. title.

BOB ARUM: Thank you. If I talk in Mandarin, will there be anyone to translate? Anyway, it’s good to be back in the United States and good to be back in my native New York and it’s even better that on Saturday we have a classic match-up to present at Radio City Music Hall. The buzz for this fight has been absolutely tremendous and in the next couple of days we will be able to announce a complete sellout. We have been inundated with requests for tickets. I know that many of the New York Knicks players, who are off on Saturday night will be coming to the fight as well as many of the players from the New York Football Giants. The entire community, and sports community, is focusing on this particular battle which takes place at Radio City Music Hall between Nonito Donaire and Guillermo Rigondeaux. So it’s a real pleasure and honor for us to promote this event and I also want to take this opportunity to welcome our co-promoters Caribe Promotions, who are co-promoting this event with Top Rank.

GARY HYDE (Rigondeaux Manager): We are absolutely delighted and excited about the fight. We are really looking forward to it and our fighter is in the best condition he has ever been and he is really focused for this fight. We are very confident of victory on Saturday night.

BORIS ARENCIBIA (Caribe Promotions): Nonito is one of the best in the game and we have really been anticipating this fight. We are happy to have put this together with Top Rank.

GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX: Training camp has been going very well and I am in the best shape of my career and I am very excited about this weekend.

NONITO DONAIRE: It’s been great. Camp has been going great. It is going to be a great fight. He has been the best ever at the amateur level trying to become one of the best at the professional level. It is going to be something – people are going to be there for a treat. It’s going to be a great fight.

How do you feel now about facing Rigondeaux where in the past you have been skeptical?

NONITO DONAIRE: In the beginning when I followed Rigondeaux, I wasn’t impressed with the Ricardo Cordoba fight, but the more that I watched him fight I realized he is more worthy of it. But first things first, I wanted to go Abner Mares first then Rigondeaux but that fight didn’t happen and now that I have been watching Rigondeaux the more formidable I see him. I am seeing that he is a really tough guy. Not only does he have speed and power but he does well mentally so I am really excited about the fight. When you do this for awhile, like I have, you tend to be motivated by having a good fighter in front of you and that is why I disregarded Rigondeaux in the beginning because of the Cordoba fight, so when the fight with Mares didn’t happen, Rigondeaux was the next guy in line. The more that I watched him fight, the more excited I got about the fight. He has a lot of talent and that’s why I am training hard for this fight.

What made you change your mind after the Cordoba fight?

NONITO DONAIRE: He fought better and progressed as he fought different opposition. As much as I can say he hasn’t fought the guys at my level – the more he fought, the better he got. That was worth the determination of me working hard.

How is it training as well as having a pregnant wife?

NONITO DONAIRE: I don’t need anything. I have accomplished more than many other fighters have in the boxing world. To me the most precious moments I have is feeling this kid kick. To be there and to witness every movement and every kick – I am really happy. But my focus is once I get inside that ring my focus is to win.

So it hasn’t been a distraction?

NONITO DONAIRE: Not at all. As much as I like to spend time with my wife, when I am inside that ring I have been performing well against my sparring partners and getting ready for the fight.

Your last fight in NYC was disappointing…

NONITO DONAIRE: I think there will be fireworks this time. It may be a chess match. We are both defensive because we can see the punches coming, but when it comes down to the fight we are both aggressive and offensive guys so I don’t think it will be anything near that fight [with Omar Narvaez] and the people in New York and the people watching on HBO will have a treat.

How is your weight?

NONITO DONAIRE: Weight is good. I have been getting bigger so I may want to try to move up. Training has been excellent and we have had excellent sparring. Everything I needed to prepare for this fight has been given to me and we are ready.

Is it important to score a knockout?

NONITO DONAIRE: I think, and you know me as a fighter, I want people to have fun and I will always go for the knockout if given the opportunity.

What would you say is Rigondeaux’ greatest strength?

NONITO DONAIRE: I think his ability to see punches and to be intelligent in there. He has speed and power like I do. It is going to be, who is the smartest guy in the ring and who has the biggest heart?

Do you think your pro experience will be to your advantage?

NONITO DONAIRE: When it comes down to speed-power and power and tactical ability then my experience will come in handy in terms of pushing through and going all-out and going more rounds I think that is going to be a big factor when it comes down to we are evenly matched. If it comes down to speed and power then my experience will be an ace for me but that is something we will need to find out – if he is stronger than me or faster than me.

Is this your most important fight?

GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX: Nonito is a great tactician and has enormous power so I think it’s going to be an exciting fight. At this point it is the most important fight of my career. This fight will determine the best in the 122-pound weight class.

After the Narvaez fight you said you were disappointed for the fans…

NONITO DONAIRE: I am thankful for the fans so I want to give them the best treat that I can and that’s why I am not afraid to get hit or to take hits. I am there to give as much excitement as I can. The fans are there for me and I am thankful for them for supporting me throughout this time and to me that’s important.

How do you think you can get Rigondeaux to exchange?

NONITO DONAIRE: it is impossible to say what I will do because I am a fighter who is given a situation and reacts to that situation and whatever that may be I know I have the power and weapons. It may be the left or it may be the right. I know I have power in both hands and that’s what makes me scary. I have power from all angles and the overhands or I have the straight punches. Rigondeaux has the same thing, power in both hands. But it’s going to be a great fight. To set things in motion I have to put the energy out there to make him engage or do whatever I want him to do.

With Nishioka you made him come forward to finish him off…

NONITO DONAIRE: With Toshiaki Nishioka, at the moment he thought he could box me, but ultimately my tactic was well-played to the point where he started to reach in and I capitalized. But at the beginning he tried to power me in and I needed a different approach and that’s the same thing that will happen with Rigondeaux – I will need to find out what type of fighter he is to make a point in strategy.

Does Rigondeaux feel the same? That he needs to be exciting?

GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX: Yes, in this fight I will try to engage more than I have in the past. I want to give the fans what they want to see. Nonito is an aggressive boxer and I will be coming for him. I expect the same from Nonito. He is a great boxer and a great technician. I think there are going to be a lot of fireworks.

How do you think amateur experience compares to pro experience? Spinks had less than 10 pro fights and beat Ali…

NONITO DONAIRE: That’s correct, Ali was older at that time but Spinks did shock the world and I do listen to every history lesson that is out there and that’s what makes me work hard and train hard. But I do understand that back then, amateurs fought the way that professionals fought. During Rigondeaux’ time it was about the point system. It was about scoring the points and being tactical. You could have 500 amateur fights but when you go pro it is a different world. Although, an amateur like Rigondeaux is able to shift his ways to become a world champion. He is able to use his skills and learn from that. That’s why we do not underestimate him and trained very hard for this fight. We are training for this fight like we are fighting the best out there.

What would it mean to you to bump off the best 122 pounder?

GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX: It would be a huge accomplishment to add to my amateur accomplishments. A victory over Nonito would show the world that I can compete against the best in the world in a professional capacity.

Do you view this as a big step up in competition?

GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX: I have great respect for Nonito. His record speaks for itself and what he has done as a professional boxer. I believe that I belong at this level and if I am going to be the best, I believe you’ve got to beat the best. Right now Nonito is the best and on April 13 I am going to give it my all.

Is there a fight on Nonito’s resume that he looks at as his best?

GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX: I think in his last couple fights Nonito has become sharper. His last couple fights he has looked his best and the fight against Nishioka was impressive.

How do you get in those long arms and powerful punches? It has proven to be a tall task…

GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX: He is a boxer that acts on reaction. Action / reaction – he takes it from there. In the moment of the fight he reacts. He really has no strategy with the length of his arms. He reacts in the ring.

Two Gold Medals or Unifying titles – which is bigger accomplishment?

GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX: The amateur accomplishments that I have had I want to repeat on a professional level. Like I said before, beating Nonito would be beating the best in the division. I have great respect for Nonito and I think he is a great fighter. Beating him would be a great accomplishment in itself. If we beat him we can say we are true professionals. He can stop talking about me as an amateur. A win absolutely would be a bigger accomplishment than the Gold Medals.

What part of Guillermo’s style will be the toughest for you?

NONITO DONAIRE: he’s an incredible fighter. Having only 11 fights and becoming world champion – he’s an elite fighter. That’s why after Mares fell through he was the next guy in line. We want to fight the best. We want to clean up this division – that is the goal my team has.

Do you think people think it is a disadvantage you have only had 11 professional fights?

GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX: Obviously the public does not respect me because of the number of fights I have had. Nonito has three times the experience I have at the professional level so the public has chosen Nonito as the favorite.

NONITO DONAIRE: I am at that point that I have to have that fire. I am at a point in my career that if I think a fight won’t be difficult I won’t train as hard. When we checked it out we saw this guy has a lot of talent and that’s what we are excited about. I saw that he didn’t have many fights and at the same time I know he will get better every time he gets in the ring – and he has proven that he is that person that gets better. That’s what we are fighting him now, now that he’s at that level.

How important was it to you that he accepted VADA testing?

NONITO DONAIRE: It is good to prove that you are clean in the sport of boxing as well as any sport. That’s important to me and I commend him for doing it. This way everybody is good, everybody is clean and there is no doubt.

Bob, how do you feel about the last five weeks promoting four great fight cards?

BOB ARUM: I don’t know where I am anymore. I went into a restaurant today and I asked a waiter for chopsticks. It’s been fun and I think this is the highlight of the whole experience. We’ve had some great fights – Tim Bradley’s fight with Provodnikov and Rios and Alvarado – terrific fights — then the whole Macau experience. Now I am really looking forward to Nonito and Guillermo. I have thought about this fight for a real long time and I think it’s going to be a classic battle.

I just want to remind everyone that at the Boxing Writers Association of America Awards dinner is on Thursday and Nonito Donaire will be recognized at the Fighter of the Year and Pacquiao-Márquez 4 as the Fight of the Year among the various awards at that dinner in Manhattan on Thursday night.

GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX: Once again I would like to thank Nonito for accepting the fight. I would like to thank Top Rank, Caribe Promotion and HBO – everyone that has helped put together this fight. I think this is the fight the world wants to see – the two top 122-pounders getting in the ring to fight each other.

NONITO DONAIRE: I am honored, man, honored for the award that I won for my accomplishments last year. And now I am honored to be fighting in this historic venue. I want to thank Top Rank and Caribe Promotions for having the kid ready for this fight. I know Guillermo’s camp has him ready for this fight. Thanks to HBO and all the fans out there – this is going to be a great fight. I owe New York a great fight and this is going to be it

**********************************************

2012 Fighter of the Year and World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior featherweight champion NONITO “Filipino Flash” DONAIRE and undefeated World Boxing Association (WBA) super bantamweight champion and former two-time Cuban Olympic gold medalist GUILLERMO “El Chacal” RIGONDEAUX rumble in a world title unification battle, This Saturday! April 13, on New York’s biggest stage — Radio City Music Hall. It will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing®, beginning at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT.

For Top Rank, this will complete its New York Promotional Triple Crown, having already promoted world title fights at the old and the new Yankee Stadiums and numerous events at “The Mecca of Boxing,” Madison Square Garden. This also marks only the second time Radio City Music Hall has ever hosted professional boxing in its 82-year history. The first fight was the Roy Jones Jr. vs. David Telesco light heavyweight world championship on January 15, 2000.

Donaire vs. Rigondeaux is promoted by Top Rank, in association with Caribe Promotions, Tecate and Madison Square Garden. Remaining tickets, priced at $300, $150, $75 and $35, are available for purchase at the Radio City Music Hall Box Office, Madison Square Garden Box Office, Ticketmaster charge by phone (866-858-0008) and online at www.ticketmaster.com, www.radiocity.com and www.thegarden.com.

For fight updates go to www.toprank.com or www.hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/trboxing, facebook.com/trboxeo or facebook.com/hboboxing and on Twitter at twitter.com/trboxing, twitter.com/trboxeo or twitter.com/hboboxing.

The April 12 edition of ESPN’s Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra will feature former Junior Featherweight titlist Rico “Suavecito” Ramos (21-2, 11 KOs) and Oscar “Fantasma” Gonzalez (17-2, 3 NSF, 13 KOs) in the 10-round Featherweight main event. Friday’s show from the Little Creek Casino in Shelton, Wash., will air live at 11 p.m. ET on ESPN2 HD, ESPN Deportes+ and WatchESPN and later televised Saturday April 13, at 2:30 a.m. on ESPNEWS and 8 p.m. on ESPN Deportes. The card is promoted by Goossen Tutor Promotions.

Commentators:
Joe Tessitore and Teddy Atlas will be ringside describing the action for ESPN2 HD, while studio host Todd Grisham (@GrishamESPN) will provide the latest boxing news and highlights. Alex Pombo and Delvin Rodriguez will call this week’s fights for ESPN Deportes’ Viernes de Combates (Friday Night Fights) with Leopoldo Gonzalez and Pablo Viruega in the studio. Bilingual reporter Bernardo Osuna (@osunaespn) will report from New York where Nonito Donaire (31-1, 20 KOs) will meet Guillermo Rigondeaux (11-0, 8 KOs) for the Junior Featherweight Championship on Saturday night.

Main Event:

Los Angeles’ Ramos, who won the Junior Featherweight title in 2011, is coming off a 10-round unanimous decision loss to Ronny Rios.

“Since my last fight, I feel like I’ve got to start coming back even harder than before.” Ramos said. “I’ve got to start showing everybody that I’m better. I can’t wait to get back into the ring and get back to my boxing style and winning ways. I know I have the skills, talent and determination to take my career back to the world championship level.”

Mexico’s Gonzalez, promoted by former four-time titleholder Erik Morales, is looking to rebound from a 10-round unanimous decision loss to Raul Hirales.

“I know Rico Ramos is a tough fighter,” Gonzalez said. “We know he is a former champion and considered one of the best at 122 pounds, but I am confident that I have the talent and ability to beat him.”

Co-Feature:
Friday’s eight-round co-feature will pit Super Middleweights Farah “Quiet Storm” Ennis (20-1, 12 KOs) of Pennsylvania against Francisco “Panchito” Sierra (25-7-1, 22 KOs) of Mexico. Ennis scored a 10-round unanimous decision win over Richard Pierson in his last fight, while Sierra is looking to rebound from a 10-round majority decision loss to Marco Antonio Periban.

Opening Fight:

Friday’s card will open with a four-round Junior Middleweight bout between undefeated 2012 Mexican Olympic team Welterweight Oscar Molina (2-0, 1 KO) and Daryl Gardner (1-1, 1 KO). Molina is the identical twin brother of 2008 U.S. Olympian Javier Molina and younger brother of Lightweight contender Carlos Molina.

ESPN Deportes and SportsCenter to Cover Donaire vs. Rigondeaux:

Gonzalez and Osuna are in New York providing pre-fight coverage of the Donaire- Rigondeaux fight for ESPN Deportes’ Golpe a Golpe, SportsCenter and ESPN.com.

The bout will mark just the second time boxing has taken place at Radio City Music Hall, and will be televised on HBO Championship Boxing at 11 p.m.

ESPN’s coverage will include Tuesday’s media workouts, interviews with both fighters and trainers, and Friday’s weigh-in. Golpe a Golpe’s Viruega, Gonzalez, Osuna and Rodriguez will present a pre-fight special Saturday at 10 p.m. featuring fighter arrivals, highlights from their biggest fights, interviews and locker room look-ins. Post-fight coverage will include a 2 a.m. Golpe a Golpe with highlights, analysis and English and Spanish in-ring interviews by Osuna for ESPN Deportes and SportsCenter.

Follow ESPN’s Friday Night Fights on Twitter @ESPNFNF or like it on Facebook. Follow ESPN Deportes’ Viernes de Combates on Twitter @ESPNBoxeo. Also score the fights round-by-round with the “Live Friday Night Fights Facebook Voting App,” an application on the ESPN FNF Facebook page that allows viewers to score the fight round-by-round.

PROVIDENCE.(April 4, 2013) – Undefeated super featherweight prospect Toka “T Nice” Kahn-Clary (4-0, 3 KOs) returns to action April 13, fighting on the Nonito Donaire-Guillermo Rigondeaux undercard, at the famed Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

Liberia-native Kahn-Clary, a 20-year-old who moved to Providence 14 years ago, is coming off (Feb. 23) another impressive win by second-round technical knockout of 18-fight veteran Pablo Cupul.

Kahn-Clary faces Gadiel Andaluz (4-4-1, 2 KOs) next Saturday in what is expected to be Toka’s last four-round bout before graduating to six.

“This fight is a real big opportunity for me,” Kahn-Clary said, “so I need to put on my best performance to prove I’m a good prospect, and that I will be one of the best fighters in the world someday. To fight on the same card as Donaire and Rigondeaux, being involved in only the second boxing show ever at Radio City Music Hall me, is an honor got me. I have to fight to the best of my ability.

“I stay in touch with guys I know from the amateurs and one, (Philadelphia super middleweight) Jesse Hart, is fighting on the same card. I’m competitive and even though we’re friends, I want to look better than him that night.”

Promoted by Bob Arum’s Top Rank, Kahn-Clary was a standout amateur who captured a gold medal at the 2010 U.S. National Golden Gloves Tournament. He fights out of the new Manfredo Boxing Sports Fitness gym in Narragansett, Rhode Island.

“Toka is fighting on a five-star show headlined on HBO by the Donaire-Rigondeaux fight,” Toka-Kahn’s head trainer Peter Manfredo, Sr. noted. “Everybody who’s anybody in boxing will be there, so it’s very important that Toka looks good. Top Rank has done a great job moving him, keeping him active, and finding the right opponents. Top Rank has two of the best matchmakers in boxing, Bruce Trampler and Brad Goodwin, and, someday, hopefully, they’ll be finding the best fighters in the world for Toka.

“Toka’s matured a lot and improved the last year, getting better at his trade as he goes along. Now, he’s going to body nice, sitting down on his punches, and he has a good body attack.”

Kahn-Clary has had four professional fights, excluding a no-contest when he suffered a cut due to an unintentional head-butt in four different states – Nevada, California, New Jersey and Rhode Island – and New York will be his fifth during the first 10 months of his young career.

“Keeping active is very important for a young fighter like me,” Kahn-Clary concluded. “Fighting in the ring and the gym are two different things. Even if you’re in the gym working hard every day like me, it’s not the same as fighting in the ring, and you can get rusty. I’m very happy that I’ve been so active.”

It’s hard to imagine how many more times the deck chairs on the Titanic can be re-arranged, but boxing did it ad nauseam this week when Home Box Office slammed the door on doing any more business with Golden Boy Promotions.

If it has really changed anything, please wake me up.

It’s not as if Golden Boy and Top Rank were sending each other cards with best wishes during the Holidays, any holiday. It was a balkanized business before HBO told Golden Boy to drop dead. It still is. But there are a couple of losers, who can’t be too encouraged by a move that seems to harden each side of a feud with no apparent end.

Fans don’t like it. But they get over it. If it’s a good fight, they’ll watch if it on HBO, Showtime or in a parking lot. We’re not talking about Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao, either. They had their chances and each, in their own way, managed to back away from the money, or the risk, or the demands for drug testing, or all-of-the-above.

But Nonito Donaire, of Top Rank, and Abner Mares, of Golden Boy, haven’t fought for wages that even approach the kind of money banked by Mayweather and Pacquiao. Unlike fans, they also don’t have a lifetime time to wait around for an opportunity at a career-defining fight.

They’ve been fighting at weights ranging from 116 through 122 pounds. If history is any guide, that adds up to a short shelf life. Mares (25-0-1, 13 KOs) is 27. Donaire (31-1, 20 KOs) is 30.

They want to fight each other. They, more than any other fighter in today generation, have asked their promoters to get it done. But the promoters seem to have put their own egos and agendas ahead of their best interests. Who is working for whom here?

Mares and Donaire could, perhaps should, shout a little louder about what they want, what their careers demand. But would Showtime, HBO, Golden Boy or Top Rank even listen? They’re too busy shouting at each other.

Anybody for the parking lot?

n
NEW YORK (February 21, 2013) — 2012 Fighter of the Year and World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior featherweight champion NONITO “Filipino Flash” DONAIRE and undefeated World Boxing Association (WBA) super bantamweight champion and former two-time Cuban Olympic gold medalist GUILLERMO “El Chacal” RIGONDEAUX will collide on New York’s biggest stage — Radio City Music Hall! The Donaire vs. Rigondeaux world title unification battle, to determine the division’s top dog, will take place Saturday, April 13 and will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing®, beginning at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Caribe Promotions, Tecate and Madison Square Garden, tickets to the Donaire-Rigondeaux world championship event will go on sale This Saturday! February 23, at Noon ET. Tickets, priced at $300, $150, $75 and $35, will be available for purchase at the Radio City Music Hall Box Office, Madison Square Garden Box Office, Ticketmaster charge by phone (866-858-0008) and online at www.ticketmaster.com, www.radiocity.com and www.thegarden.com.

For Top Rank, this will complete its New York Promotional Triple Crown, having already promoted world title fights at the old and the new Yankee Stadiums and numerous shows at “The Mecca of Boxing,” Madison Square Garden. This also marks only the second time Radio City Music Hall has ever hosted professional boxing in its 82-year history. The first fight was the Roy Jones Jr. vs. David Telesco light heavyweight world championship on January 15, 2000.

“The battle between the 2012 Fighter of the Year Nonito Donaire against one of the greatest Olympian fighters of our time – two-time gold medal winner Guillermo Rigondeaux – promises to be a boxing classic,” said Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum. “It is fitting that this match is being held at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City.”

“Coming off a spectacular year, Donaire wanted to keep the momentum rolling in 2013,” said Top Rank president Todd duBoef. “Fighting Rigondeaux at Radio City is the perfect combination. We are pleased that two of the most skilled athletes in the sport are reaching for their biggest challenges on April 13.”

“I am delighted that Nonito Donaire has finally agreed to challenge the 122-pound division boss Guillermo Rigondeaux,” said Gary Hyde, Rigondeaux’s manager. “I think Nonito’s confidence must have been boosted by his 2012 victories, but when he feels Rigo’s power, from angles he has never been hit from, the doubts which have haunted him every time he hears Rigo’s name will be there again, but it will be too late to avoid Rigo then. Nonito will certainly move weights classes after this fight but not in the direction he was planning. This kid is going back down to 118.”

“I’d like to thank the promoters and HBO for putting this fight together I think this is what the world wants to see the Top-Two boxers in the world in this weight class,” said Rigondeaux. “This is what I came to America for. I decided to go with my old trainer Pedro Luis Diaz who helped me win two Olympic gold medals. Jorge Rubio is a great trainer he did nothing wrong I just thought for this fight I would go back to do the type of training that I’ve never done in this country. I feel stronger than ever. I think this will be a great battle Nonito is one of the top boxers in the world and a gentleman. I’m looking forward to getting in the ring with him. We are both at the peak of our careers. On April 13th the world will witness one of the greatest boxing exhibitions they’ve ever seen.”

“See you on April 13, Rigondeaux,” Donaire responded.

“Nonito Donaire enjoyed a sensational 2012 season and the boxing world has been eagerly awaiting his 2013 debut,” said Kery Davis, the senior vice president of programming, HBO Sports. “For Nonito to fight in the spotlight at Radio City Music Hall is a spectacular way to start the new year. While Guillermo Rigondeaux is making his HBO debut, keen boxing observers know this is a two-time Olympic gold medalist who is one of the best fighters in the world and can handle the bright lights of New York. This will be night that boxing fans can truly enjoy a world class event.”

“Radio City Music Hall is an integral part of the fabric of New York City and has hosted a wide variety of memorable events and live performances from Sinatra to Lady Gaga, the Tony Awards and One Direction, who have all become part of the Music Hall’s great history,” said Joel Fisher, executive vice president, MSG Sports. “We are thrilled to once more host championship boxing on the Great Stage of Radio City for what will be a spectacular night of boxing for all fight fans.”

Donaire (31-1, 20 KOs), a native of General Santos City, Philippines, now living in the Bay Area of San Leandro, Calif., is a consensus top-five pound-for-pound fighter. He enters this fight riding a 12-year, 30-bout winning streak, with 11 of his last 15 victories coming by way of knockout . He is trained by 2012 Trainer of the Year and former world champion Robert Garcia. Donaire will be making his 2013 debut as the reigning Fighter of the Year. He enters this fight off a career-best year, winning four world title fights — all televised live on HBO. He began his 2012 campaign on February 4, where he captured the vacant WBO 122-pound title, winning a gritty split-decision battle over former world champion Wilfredo Vazquez, Jr. He unified the title on July 7, via a dominant unanimous decision over defending International Boxing Federation (IBF) champion Jeffrey Mathebula. Donaire followed that victory with another legacy-making knockout — a ninth-round stoppage of WBC Diamond Belt super bantamweight champion Toshiaki Nishioka on October 16, ending Nishioka’s eight-year, 16-bout winning streak. Donaire capped the year on December 15, blasting out Méxican icon Jorge Arce via a third-round knockout. Career highlights for Donaire also include knockout victories of defending IBF / International Boxing Organization (IBO) flyweight champion Vic Darchinyan, in the fifth round, former WBA bantamweight champion Wladimir Sidorenko, in the fourth round, and defending World Boxing Council (WBC) / WBO bantamweight champion Fernando Montiel in the second round, ending Montiel’s 25-bout winning streak while also claiming his third world title in as many weight divisions. That victory was named the 2011 Knockout of the Year.

Rigondeaux (11-0, 8 KOs), of Miami, Fla., and now trained by Pedro Diaz, had a stellar amateur career, winning Olympic gold medals in 2004 and 2000, World Amateur Championship titles in 2005 and 2001, and Pan American Games gold medals in 2005 and 2003, all at 119 pounds, before defecting from Cuba and embarking on a professional career which began in Miami in 2009. In only his seventh professional fight where both fighters scored knockdowns, Rigondeaux captured the WBA interim super bantamweight title, winning a tough split decision over the vastly more experienced former world champion Ricardo Cordoba in 2010. After successfully defending the interim title in 2011 with a first-round knockout of previously undefeated former European super bantamweight champion Willie Casey, Rigondeaux won the WBA world super bantamweight championship with a sixth-round knockout of previously undefeated defending champion Rico Ramos on January 20, 2012. Rigondeaux has successfully defended that title twice since then, blasting once-beaten Teon Kennedy in the fifth round, which included Kennedy suffering five knockdowns en route to the loss and winning a dominant unanimous decision over once-beaten contender Roberto Marroquin on June 9 and September 15, respectively.

For fight updates go to www.toprank.com or www.hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/trboxing, facebook.com/trboxeo or facebook.com/hboboxing and on Twitter at twitter.com/trboxing, twitter.com/trboxeo or twitter.com/hboboxing.

Super Bantamweight world champion Nonito Donaire will take on fellow beltholder Guillermo Rigondeaux on April 13th at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

“There’s no question that fighting at Radio City Music Hall is like a coronation for the fighter of the year, fighting on that historic stage,” Top Rank chairman Bob Arum told ESPN.com. “We couldn’t get the Theater [at Madison Square Garden] so [MSG executive vice president] Joel Fisher said maybe he could get Radio City, because the Garden owns it. We said that was a great idea. It’s expensive to do a fight there, but it’s worth it.

“I think it’s going to be a terrific fight. It’s one I have wanted to see. These guys have been spouting off about each other for a long time and now it will be decided in the ring.”

“I’ve heard so much about the place and how Roy fought there and Roy is one of the guys I look up to, so I am very excited about fighting there,” Donaire told ESPN.com.

“We want to show up the second time in New York and make a statement this time and not have Rigondeaux run from me when he gets hit hard,” Donaire said. “We already have the remedy and answer for that style from what I learned in the Narvaez fight. We have a blue print ready.

“I failed to get a knockout in my first fight in New York and I want the fans to see a knockout from me. I am going out there to knock my guys out. I believe I have great fans on the East Coast and I want to give them a good show.”

“It took awhile because there were internal problems on the Rigondeaux side with [his co-promoter] Caribe,” Arum said. “But we worked everything out and they were gentlemanly. It takes time. Eventually, sanity prevailed and everyone wants the fight to happen, so you make a deal.”

Said Donaire, “I watched Rigondeaux’s last fight with [Robert] Marroquin and he’s pretty decent. He’s pretty good at countering, so I was getting excited about fighting him. It’s a good fight. I look forward to taking that belt. That’s my goal.”

Two nights before the fight, Donaire will make an appearance at the annual Boxing Writers Association of America awards banquet to collect his fighter of the year trophy.

“I was really honored they gave me that award,” Donaire said. “Last year, all I wanted to do was fight the best guys they put in front of. I’m just trying to be the best and fight the best. I have Rigondeaux now and, hopefully, we can get the Mares fight too.”

“I will do as much as I can this year, but my primary thing this year after this fight is having a family,” he said. “We are very excited about [the baby]. I can win titles and more titles and it pays the bills but I also want to be a good father and husband.”

“He was talking all this crap about drug testing, saying he would do whatever it took to fight me,” Donaire said. “We negotiated it and I want to show the sport is clean. But then he didn’t sign [the VADA contract].”

“We got that resolved and we have a fight,” Arum said.

LAS VEGAS, NEV. (January 28, 2013) — Top Rank’s ultra-talented stable ran the table winning all the major 2012 awards from the Boxing Writers Association of America. The BWAA announced on Sunday that World Boxing Organization junior featherweight champion NONITO DONAIRE was the recipient of its Sugar Ray Robinson “Fighter of the Year” award. Donaire (31-1, 20 KOs) won all four of his world title fights last year, defeating Wilfredo Vazquez, Jr., Jeffrey Mathebula, Toshiaki Nishioka and Jorge Arce, the last two by knockout, to extend his 11-year winning streak to 30 bouts. Capping a career-best year, Donaire had already been named the 2012 Fighter of the Year by Yahoo! Sports, ESPN, Sports Illustrated, USA Today and many other websites and newspapers.

Donaire’s trainer, former International Boxing Federation junior lightweight champion ROBERT GARCIA, was named the Eddie Futch “Trainer of the Year,” for his work with the Filipino Flash as well as with newly-minted WBO featherweight champion Mikey Garcia and undefeated former World Boxing Association lightweight champion Brandon Rios.

“Nonito came into his own in 2012. He will do even greater things in 2013 and beyond,” said Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum. “He will become the next big pay-per-view star. Robert Garcia truly deserves the award as 2012 Trainer of the Year. As the best young trainer in boxing, his future is tremendous.”

“2012 was a text book year for Nonito,” added Top Rank president Todd duBoef. “Four fights against top division leaders and with decisive, impressive performances.”

Manny Pacquiao – Juan Manuel Márquez 4, which was co-promoted with Zanfer Promotions, was named the BWAA’s Muhammad Ali – Joe Frazier “Fight of the Year.” The action-packed battle, which was held at the sold-out MGM Grand Garden Arena and sold close to 1.2 million pay-per-views in the U.S. alone, featured excitement, drama and a one-punch knockout victory by the Méxican icon Márquez.

Trampler, a Hall of Fame matchmaker, is the co-winner of the Barney Nagler Award for “Long and Meritorious Service” to the sport of boxing.

The BWAA Awards Dinner will be held in New York this spring at a venue and date to be announced.

For more information on Top Rank and the BWAA, go to www.toprank.com and www.bwaa.org, respectively.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com Golden Boy Promotions offered Top Rank a $3 million package in order to make a Super Bantamweight unification bout between Nonito Donaire and Abner Mares.

“The offer is now in writing and was sent (Friday) afternoon,” said Richard Schaefer.

“There’s a signature line for Donaire and one for (Top Rank chairman Bob) Arum. I signed already and Mares is in, too. It’s $3 million for their side to do whatever they want with. It’s probably a world-record amount of money for a man in that (122-pound) weight class.”

“We are not asking for any options, not asking for anything besides this fight,” Schaefer said, adding that there is no rematch clause language. “We will treat Top Rank with respect. They can hang their banner up at the press conferences and the fight, we’ll have the fight be announced ‘in association with Top Rank,’ we’ll give them library rights to the fight. All that stuff. No catch weights, no bull—-. This is a serious offer. I am anxious to know what kind of excuses they will come up with now.”

“There’s nothing more I can do to make this fight than to make that kind of serious offer,” Schaefer said.

“I’m going to go where I can make the most money,” Schaefer said. “I believe this is a big fight and there’s substantial revenues involved. I value the fight differently than Arum. I might be wrong. But I am willing to take the risk.”

“They offered us a million dollars for Abner, (Mares manager Frank)Espinoza and me. It was a joke,” Schaefer said. “Top Rank obviously values the fight differently than I do.”

“I don’t know what the catch is,” Schaefer said. “I’m anxious to know about their excuses for not doing the fight. Like Bob always says, maybe the fight needs to marinate a bit longer. I’m sure they will come up with something. If Arum and Donaire go and do another fight, it means they don’t want the fight because they can’t make the money in any other fight than what they can make with this offer. No strings attached.

“I swear on my kids there is no catch here. This is as straight forward as can be. Bob can even bring his Top Rank banner to the fight. I don’t care. I just want to make the fight.

“This is fair as can be. Arum can (question) me all he wants and this and that, but it does not change the fact that there is a great deal here for him and his fighter on the table. At the end of the day, he doesn’t want his fighters to fight our fighters.”

“I haven’t seen anything yet, so how can I say if it sounds OK if I haven’t seen it yet,” said Donaire manager Cameron Dunkin. “But I have never had a problem with Nonito fighting Abner Mares. It’s a great fight. Two great fighters. It’s a big fight. Do I like my guy (to win)? Of course, I like my guy. Does my guy win? Absolutely. But they are two solid names and this is a big fight.”

“I’ll know more when I see an offer from Top Rank and get their take on it,” Dunkin said. “Is (the offer) true and straight forward? We’ll find out.”

MIAMI (December 28, 2012) – The strength-and-conditioning coach of World Boxing Association (WBA) Super Bantamweight champion Guillermo “El Chacal” Rigondeaux (11-0, 8 KOs), D.J. Montanocordoba, vehemently denies Internet reports alleged by Nonito “The Filiipino Flash” Donaire that, after the December 15 HBO show in Houston, Montanocordoba verbally accosted a female member of Donaire’s entourage during a heated argument that took place at the Hyatt Hotel.

Donaire (31-1, 20 KOs), the World Boxing Organization (WBO) super bantamweight champion, reportedly searched for Rigondeaux’ room and later called there and Montanocordoba’s room to address the altercation. Ringondeaux was schedule to fight former world champion Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym (48-2, 33 KOs), who failed his medical exam, in the Dec. 15 co-featured bout. Donaire beat Jorge Arce in the main event.

“I just want to clear my name,” Montanocordoba said. “I am part of Team Rigondeaux and wouldn’t do anything like that. I didn’t know anything, if it happened, because I was in my hotel room and not involved. I don’t have a problem with Donaire or anybody in his camp. I didn’t see them after the fight was over. I’m very mellow. I don’t drink or go out clubbing. I concentrate on my job. I talked to a few people in the hotel lobby and went to my room. That’s not my style; I don’t disrespect people. I was surprised by what Nonito said. I spoke to him that Wednesday and told him how much I respected him for what he’s done and that I thought he was good for boxing. He’s a great fighter. I respect him and his wife, his trainer, Robert Garcia, and his other coaches. I was totally shocked when I read the report with Donaire accusing me. .

“We’ll be on opposite sides when if he fights Rigondeaux. As great a fighter Nonito is, I think Rigondeaux is better, and that nobody can beat him at 122. If Nonito doesn’t fight Rigeondeaux, no problem, I can’t disrespect him for that, but he can’t go around saying he’s cleaned-up the division without taking Rigondeaux’ title. Hey, I respect every fighter. (Abner) Mares is great, so is (Wilfredo) Vasquez. If Nonito decides to move-up a division, I can respect that but, he has to defeat Rigondeaux to say he’s cleaned out the 122-pound division, and I believe he is not capable of beating Rigondeaux. The only way they can prove who is better is by fighting in the ring. I’m confident in my ability but, even if I wasn’t working for Rigondeaux, I’d still believe he’s the better fighter. And I’m not taking anything away from Donaire by saying that but I believe it and I know Donaire belives it otherwise he would be willing to face Rigondeaux.

“I don’t conduct myself that way (Donaire’s claim). At the last press conference, I had a direct conversation with Nonito, and I said I admire him and had nothing but respect for him. I’ve said nothing negative about him. He’s has accused me of doing something that I wasn’t even present for and I’m still not disrespecting him. Maybe somebody told him a story, he believed it and got angry. It just never happened.”

The animosity between Team Rigondeaux and Team Donaire has been building the past year, largely due to Donaire’s failure to fight Rigondeaux, something that is rumored to happen in mid-2013.

“Donaire wrongly accused DJ of being abusive to somebody in his entourage,” Rigondeaux’ manager Gary Hyde added. “I was at the Hyatt Hotel with D.J. and both of us retired to our respective rooms after the show at midnight. The next day, D.J. told me that Donaire had called him but he thought he was dreaming because he was woken from a deep sleep. D.J. definitely wasn’t involved in any altercation with Donaire or his people. Team Rigondeaux has respect for Donaire. We don’t condone this type of behavior, but we’re furious at Donaire for accusing D.J. of this type conduct.”

Arguably the greatest amateur boxer of all-time, Rigondeaux is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and seven-time Cuban national champion who also captured a pair of World Championship titles during his incredible 243-4 amateur career.

The multi-talented southpaw, now fighting out of Miami, is rated No. 1 by The Ring Magazine, and Donaire is its super bantamweight/junior lightweight champion.

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HOUSTON – Three miles southwest of Toyota Center, where junior featherweight world champion Nonito Donaire took Mexican Jorge Arce’s consciousness with a third-round left hook Saturday, there stands a complex of interesting buildings that collectively house the works of the Menil Collection, a free-admission museum comprising the lifetimes’ worth of collecting done by John and Dominique de Menil. The works are modern or tribal, and the main building itself, a masterpiece by Italian architect Renzo Piano, treats natural light like liquid poured gently from above, not wind for blocking.

What is most gratifying about the Menil Collection is its continuity. Nearby stands this city’s more famous collection – Museum of Fine Arts, Houston – an enormous labyrinth of periods and painters complemented by a wonderful sculpture garden, but a collection that, when contrasted with what the De Menils did, shows itself a product of committee collecting, board approvals and consensus. It lacks, that is, private collectors’ blessed tyrannies of vision. We return to this below.

But first “Filipino Flash” Nonito Donaire. He met informed expectations, Saturday, earning his fourth title defense of 2012, fighting at roughly twice the rate of what other nine prizefighters compose Chuck Giampa’s List, and making a sturdy case for himself as fighter of the year. Donaire, though, as yet inspires few strong feelings. He is exceptionally good at what he does, and now does an important thing by voluntarily subjecting himself to year-round PED testing, and he is a gracious ambassador for our sport, and he provided the Philippines a wee bit of solace by knocking out a Mexican a week after a Mexican disconnected Manny Pacquiao from his senses, but to write more than that is trying too hard.

Because victories come so easily to Donaire, aficionados wonder at his authenticity. But he continues to make deposits of goodwill in an escrow account for the day when a competitive challenger – an Abner Mares or Guillermo Rigondeaux – roughs him up and makes him climb off the mat. On that day, when aficionados can be sure he is more than a product of great matchmaking, there will be a flood of good things written and said about the run he’s had since driving Vic Darchinyan to Judah Street in 2007.

Darchinyan’s name, actually, was in the air last week, as it was what kept folks from climbing aboard the Nonito train and bringing it in full to Houston Station. After the way Darchinyan outclassed a 29-year-old Arce almost four years ago, it was hard to take Arce seriously as an opponent for one of the world’s five best prizefighters at the end of 2012. But good for Arce anyway, earning a last paycheck in the nearest way our sport comes to a pension plan. Arce retired immediately after Donaire knocked him flat, and let us hope retired is how Arce remains.

That’s a doubtful proposition. Arce cited a promise to his children, which means that in 18 months, when he’s bored with life and a calendar that is blank for the next 45 or so years, he might just go hang out at the gym and bring one of his children along. A week of that, and a fight on televisión in Los Mochis, and that child will invariably say, “Dad, why don’t you fight any more?” Promise revoked, Arce will return in a new weight class with a new trainer and a new focus and determination and freshness and strength and whatever the Spanish word is for “cliché,” and unpleasant spectacles will ensue.

In the meantime, we owe him a debt of gratitude for being entertaining without being boorish, for laughing at his own special effects – black cowboy hat, red lollipop, dancing horse – and for somehow finding a way to make a body that does not look at all fat at 150 pounds shrink, for an hour or two, into one that weighs 108 or 112 or 115 or 118 or 122. Arce won world titles in each of those five divisions.

His younger brother Francisco, not as talented but just as desirous of blood, fought in Phoenix 7 1/2 years ago, and Arce was there to show support, and almost no one knew it. Even dressed in black jeans, Arce, who was then between flyweight bloodlettings with Hussein Hussein, looked to be about five weight classes above 112 pounds, and not puffy at all. No one was sure it was him till his craggy front teeth pushed out a smile and it could be no one but “El Travieso (The Naughty One)” – a born showman at the precipice of celebrity. Twenty-one months later Cristian Mijares, a fellow Mexican, undressed Arce in San Antonio, and Arce’s decline was begun. Bless Arce, though, for being engaging and inventive enough still to finagle himself on an HBO main event 5 1/2 years later.

HBO is good a place as any to end this. Saturday night it bade farewell to Larry Merchant, its masterful commentator and voice of reason. Merchant has offered a good meter for at least a decade: With few exceptions, a boxing fan’s intelligence, maturity and sobriety can be measured in proportion to his appreciation for Merchant. The kids and circus barkers never did like Larry much; he didn’t go in for their fashion-conscious hype (a redundancy, that). Because he came out of the written word, ever a more sacred place than television, he understood the meaning of his and others’ utterances. He felt no need to end sentences with unwarranted exclamation marks. He took righteous and rightful umbrage with pacifistic athletes who gouged his employer for millions.

Merchant’s tastes and eloquence are a continuity now out of place at HBO, where on-air consensus-building, often to a point of hectoring, has replaced thoughtful dialogue and meaningful dissent. Farewell, then, Mr. Merchant. You were too good for them anyway.

Bart Barry can be reached at bart.barrys.email (at) gmail.com

Nonito Donaire 121.5 – Jorge Arce 122
Victor Terrazas 126.25 – Juan Ruiz 123.5
Daniel Sandoval 150.25 – Larry Smith 149.5
Jose Felix Jr. 133 – Meachor Major 132.75
Rafael Casillas 122.25 – Tremaine Williams 123.5
Alfredo Contreras 175 – Cedric Agnew 175.75
Eddie Cordova 147.5 – Alex Saucedo 146.5
Yakub Shadiev 150.5 – Jose Trevino 151.5
Pablo Briteas 128.5 – Saul Rodriguez 128.5

Personal accountability is the only way out of the deepening PED swamp. Nonito Donaire understands that. Few do.

Donaire was proactive in addressing suspicions he knew would be there when he hired Victor Conte, the BALCO founder who spent four years in prison for his role in the scheme to distribute performance enhancers to Olympic medalists and major leaguers who rewrote baseball’s home-run records. Donaire took the test, takes the test, whenever and wherever.

It’s unfortunate that Juan Manuel Marquez didn’t follow Donaire’s lead. If Marquez had, there wouldn’t be all of those messy questions attached to his dramatic victory last Saturday over Manny Pacquiao at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand. Marquez’ home-run shot in the sixth round knocked out Pacquiao, but none of the PED garbage.

Not taking an Olympic-style test these days is the equivalent of taking the fifth. It’s just another way of saying you don’t want to incriminate yourself.

Marquez likes to call himself an intelligent fighter. But he didn’t think things through when he first hired Angel Heredia, a former Conte associate, and then added muscle to a middle-aged body that Heredia christened “The Hulk.” Heredia and Conte will be in opposite corners Saturday night at Houston’s Toyota Center. Heredia works for Jorge Arce, who fights Donaire for the super-bantamweight title.

Heredia, like Conte, is bound to stir up suspicions. Before his upset of Pacquiao, Marquez said he was willing to undergo testing considered more thorough and rigorous than the procedure administered by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

Saying it, however, isn’t doing it.

Marquez didn’t.

Instead, he underwent Nevada tests that many believe are easy to circumvent. The Nevada tests will come up clean, Marquez said. It would be a huge upset if they didn’t. In the court of public opinion, however, the negative result won’t allay the suspicions.

During the last year, we have heard testimony and watched news reports of how Lance Armstrong beat the system in international cycling for years. Armstrong always denied doping. He still does. But few believe him. That public skepticism has spread to every fighter who won’t step up and undergo state-of-the-art testing not required by state regulators.

Heredia’s well-documented role with BALCO includes grand-jury testimony in which he says he supplied Olympic track-and-field medalist Marion Jones with performance enhancers. Jones, a woman and the only athlete sentenced to jail in the BALCO scandal, never tested positive. She always denied the allegations. In the end, she was convicted on a perjury charge.

I want to believe Marquez and so do many of my friends. I respect him, his poise and ability to think through a tough fight. Marquez’ physical transformation, Heredia says, is about “science.’’ Maybe so. But wasn’t Frankenstein science fiction?

It’s the fiction part that bothers me. Only updated testing can make it real and that’s a process that starts with the kind of accountability practiced by Donaire.

HOUSTON (December 13, 2012) The World Boxing Association (WBA) super bantamweight championship fight between undefeated defending champion GUILLERMO “El Chacal” RIGONDEAUX and former world champion POONSAWAT KRATINGDAENGGYM has been canceled from this Saturday’s card at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. Rigondeaux vs. Kratingdaenggym was scheduled to be televised live on HBO® as the co-main event to the NONITO DONAIRE vs. JORGE ARCE World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior featherweight title fight. Donaire vs. Arce will go on as scheduled, televised live on HBO, beginning at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT. The telecast will open with the exclusive replay of last week’s Fight of the Year — MANNY PACQUIAO vs. JUAN MANUEL MÁRQUEZ 4.

“The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation notified us today that they would not issue a license to Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym,” said Bob Arum, CEO of Top Rank®. “I feel very badly for both fighters who trained very hard. Top Rank’s matchmakers are working with HBO to returning Guillermo back to the ring as soon as possible.”

Remaining Tickets to the Donaire vs. Arce World Junior Featherweight Championship event doubleheader, priced at $200, $100, $60 and $30, plus additional fees, can be purchased at the Toyota Center box office (Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.), online at www.HoustonToyotaCenter.com, by phone at 866-4HOU-TIX (866-446-8849) and select Houston area Randalls stores. This prestigious event is promoted by Top Rank®, in association with Zanfer Promotions and Tecate.

For fight updates go to www.toprank.com or www.hbo.com/boxing.

A sure sign of Abner Mares’ emerging stardom is a mixed blessing. Mares is one of those fighters mentioned in a bout that hasn’t happened because of the tired feud between Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank.

For the Golden Boy-promoted Mares, that means talk about Top Rank’s Nonito Donaire. On a growing list, Mares-Donaire is there, another never-never possibility, right behind Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. Donaire-Mares is one of those fights everybody wants to see, but few believe they ever will because of the Golden Boy-Top Rank stand-off.

For Mares, the Donaire speculation also looms as a potential distraction for what might his toughest task to date Saturday night in a Showtime-televised super-bantamweight bout at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Both made weight Friday, also at Staples. Mares was at 121.8 pounds. Moreno, fighting for the first time in the 122-pound division, was a pound lighter, at 120.8.

Mares (24-0-1, 13 KOs) promises he won’t be distracted. Against the slick Moreno (33-1-1, 12 KOs), he can’t be.

Moreno, of Panama City, has been compared to Pernell Whitaker. He’s hard to beat, because he’s hard to hit. A distraction of any kind could make it more difficult for Mares to keep a vigilant eye on an elusive target that will never be in front of him for long.

“Yeah, without a doubt, it’s frustrating,’’ Mares said when asked about Donaire during a conference call. “Again, I know my time will come. I’ve just got be patient. I have to keep pushing. We’ll see after this.’’

Only a loss could quiet the talk about a fight that, for now, is waged only in the public imagination. Mares, who grew up in Southern California and is Golden Boy’s first fighter to win a major title, understands the stakes.

“He’s really technical,’’ Mares said of Moreno. “But he hasn’t fought any one like me. Okay, he hasn’t fought any one like I’m going to be. I’m going to go in and figure him out. That’s what this beautiful sport is all about – figuring out your opponent. You’re going to see a different Abner, as you always do.”

Mares’ versatility includes an innate ability to adjust on the fly. He’ll probably have to against Moreno, who has no illusions about the challenge he faces in Mares’ hometown.

“This is going to be a very, very tough fight for me,’’ Moreno said. “I understand that.’’

On the undercard
· International Boxing Federation bantamweight champ Leo Santa Cruz weighed in at 117.8 pounds, just under the 188-pound limit. Opponent Victor Zaleta was at 117.

· In his first formal weigh-in since a seven-month detention for an immigration violation, Mexican junior-middleweight Alfredo Angulo was at the mandatory 154 pounds. Opponent Raul Casarez was at 153.8.

HOUSTON (November 9, 2012) – Houston, Texas is the largest city in the Lone Star State so isn’t it fitting that it get the biggest fight south of 140 pounds?

Top-Five pound for pound fighter and four-division world champion NONITO “Filipino Flash” DONAIRE will risk his World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior featherweight crown against five-division world titlist and former WBO junior featherweight champion JORGE “Travieso” ARCE on Saturday, December 15, at Toyota Center, home of the Houston Rockets, and televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing®, beginning at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT. The co-main event of the live doubleheader will feature undefeated World Boxing Association (WBA) super bantamweight champion GUILLERMO “El Chacal” RIGONDEAUX defending his title. University of Notre Dame champion and light heavyweight contender MIKE LEE, who trains in Houston, will highlight the non-televised undercard.

Tickets to the Donaire vs. Arce World Junior Featherweight Championship event doubleheader will go on sale Today! Friday, November 9, at 10:00 a.m. CT.

Tickets are priced at $200, $100, $60 and $30, plus additional fees, and can be purchased at the Toyota Center box office (Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.), online at www.HoustonToyotaCenter.com, by phone at 866-4HOU-TIX (866-446-8849) and select Houston area Randalls stores. This prestigious event is promoted by Top Rank®, in association with Zanfer Promotions and Tecate.

“Nonito Donaire versus Jorge Arce is a much-anticipated world championship fight which promises to be non-stop action. We are also pleased to have undefeated Guillermo Rigondeaux defend his world super bantamweight title on this card,” said Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum, CEO, Top Rank.

“The fireworks that will be supplied by Nonito Donaire and Jorge Arce in the ring on December 15 in Houston ensures that the season finale of World Championship Boxing will be very special night,” said Kery Davis, senior vice president of programming, HBO Sports.

Donaire (30-1, 19 KOs), a native of General Santos City, Philippines, now living in the Bay Area of San Leandro, Calif., is a consensus top-five pound-for-pound fighter. He enters this fight riding an 11-year, 29-bout winning streak, which includes an International Boxing Federation (IBF) / International Boxing Organization (IBO) flyweight title knockout victory of defending champion Vic Darchinyan, and a fourth-round blasting of former World Boxing Association (WBA) bantamweight champion Wladimir Sidorenko. However, Donaire’s most impressive knockout victory occurred on February 19, 2011, when he stopped defending World Boxing Council (WBC) / WBO bantamweight champion Fernando Montiel in the second round, ending Montiel’s 25-bout winning streak while also claiming his third world title in as many weight divisions. That victory was named the 2011 Knockout of the Year. Eleven of Donaire’s last 14 victories have come by way of knockout. He successfully defended his World Bantamweight Championship last year by blitzing undefeated Omar Narvaez, winning virtually every round en route to a unanimous decision victory. On February 4, Donaire captured the vacant WBO 122-pound title, winning a gritty split-decision battle over former world champion Wilfredo Vazquez, Jr. He unified the title on July 7, winning a dominant unanimous decision over defending IBF champion Jeffrey Mathebula. He enters this fight on the heels of another legacy-making victory, a ninth-round stoppage of WBC Diamond Belt super bantamweight champion Toshiaki Nishioka on October 16, ending Nishioka’s eight-year, 16-bout winning streak.

Arce (61-6-2, 46 KOs), of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, México, is one of boxing’s most exciting and popular fighters. A true warrior, he has been one of México’s biggest attractions for the last decade. Arce is also experienced at the top levels of competition– a veteran of 18 world championship and eight interim world championship fights. The all-action warrior has won world championships or interim world titles in all five divisions between 108 and 122 pounds. A future first-ballot Hall of Fame inductee, Arce enters this fight riding an 11-bout unbeaten streak dating back nearly three years, including victories over Angky Angkota for the WBO junior bantamweight title, Wilfredo Vazquez, Jr. for the WBO junior featherweight belt and Angkota again, this time for the WBO bantamweight crown, the title Arce most recently held. Trained by Hall of Famer Ignacio “Nacho” Beristain, Arce returns to the ring after winning a decisive unanimous decision over former WBO bantamweight champion Mauricio Martinez on September 22.

Rigondeaux (11-0, 8 KOs), of Miami, Fla., had a stellar amateur career, winning Olympic gold medals in 2004,and 2000, World Amateur Championship titles in 2005 and 2001, and Pan American Games gold medals in 2005 and 2003, all at 119 pounds, before defecting from Cuba and embarking on a professional career which began in Miami in 2009. In only his seventh professional fight where both fighters scored knockdowns, Rigondeaux captured the WBA interim super bantamweight title, winning a tough split decision over the vastly more experienced former world champion Ricardo Cordoba in 2010. After successfully defending the interim title last year with a first-round knockout of previously undefeated former European super bantamweight champion Willie Casey, Rigondeaux won the WBA world super bantamweight championship with a sixth-round knockout of previously undefeated defending champion Rico Ramos on January 20. Rigondeaux has successfully defended that title twice since then, blasting once-beaten Teon Kennedy in the fifth round, which included Kennedy suffering five knockdowns en route to the loss on June 9 and winning a dominant unanimous decision over once-beaten conender Roberto Marroquin on September 15.

Lee (11-0, 6 KOs), a native of Chicago who now fights out of Houston, is a 2009 graduate of Notre Dame where he earned a Finance degree from the Mendoza School of Business with a 3.8 GPA while winning the school’s legendary Bengal Bouts boxing tournament three years in a row as well as the 2009 Golden Gloves Championship. Trained by Ronnie Shields, Lee has shown great potential as a fighter while attracting Madison Avenue to the sport as a national spokesman for Subway Restaurants where he has been featured in the company’s nationally-televised advertising campaigns. Lee has also proved to be a powerful box office attraction, packing houses with rabid and loyal University of Notre Dame fans, students and alumni. Lee returns to the ring fresh a unanimous decision victory over Paul Harness on September 15.

For fight updates go to www.toprank.com or www.hbo.com/boxing.