South Africa’s WBO World champion Zolani Tete (28-3, 21 KOs) is in a ‘good place’ and thanks Floyd Mayweather Sr. ahead of facing the WBC Diamond and WBA World champion, American-Philippine Nonito Donaire (39-5, 25 KOs), in the 118lb WBSS semi-final on April 27 at the Cajundome in Lafayette, LA, USA.

“Preparations have been excellent for the fight,” said Tete before sending praise to legendary trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr., the father, and former trainer, of undefeated five-division champ Floyd Mayweather Jr.

“I’ve been out in Las Vegas and it’s been very enjoyable. Mayweather Sr. has been the x-factor which has psychologically uplift us to another level, he’s the last piece of the puzzle we needed for this fight.”

The task in front of him in Lafayette, Louisiana is a former multiple-time world champion in four weight classes and current WBC Diamond and WBA Super World champion. 36-year-old Nonito ‘The Filipino Flash’ Donaire is undoubtedly a legend in the game and says the tournament has made him 20 years younger.

Tete has respect for Donaire’s level, but feels confident ahead of the semi-final.

“I’m expecting a very good challenge from Nonito Donaire,” said Tete. “He may be coming to the end of his career but he is still a dangerous fighter operating at a high level, but it will be me who will come out on top in the fight. I’m in a really good place right now, feeling fit, feeling powerful and I can’t wait for the fight.”

Like Donaire, Tete also has his share of fame to claim. For example, when he defended his WBO title for the first time on November 2017, knocking out his countryman Siboniso Gonya with a right hook after 11 seconds, it was the quickest world title fight in history.

31-year-old Tete grew up in the Mdantsane township in South Africa and had a rough childhood that could have turned into a tough future if it wasn’t for boxing.

“I started boxing at the age of eight,” told Tete. “I believe training has kept me away from committing a crime. Some of my friends … they way they look now is terrible. I dedicate my boxing life to my mother, my kids, and my fiancée and want to make sure that they get a proper upbringing and a good future. I should assist them by not getting hit. From where I was I would never believe I would be here representing my country, representing my family and soon to be a unified champion.

“All the guys in the tournament are tough, but it depends when they meet me, if they are gonna bring their toughness, because there is one thing I know about myself and about my team. We can break you into pieces! Who ever stands in my way is staying in the rail way and the train will come … and take him out.”

In the other WBSS semi-final at the Cajumdome in Lafayette American Regis Prograis (23-0, 19 KOs), the WBC Diamond Super Lightweight champion, will be battling Belarus’ WBA title-holder Kiryl Relikh (23-2, 19 KOs).

Tickets starting at $25 for the WBSS Super-Lightweight and Bantamweight Semi-Finals on April 27 at the Cajundome in Lafayette, LA are available from TicketMaster here.

Fans in the U.S. and Canada can watch all the Ali Trophy semi-finals LIVE, exclusively on DAZN.

Amateur Career

Preceded by:
Katsunari Takayama
Vacated
WBO Minimumweight Champion
2015 May 30 – 2016 April
Vacated
Succeeded by:
Katsunari Takayama
Preceded by:
Donnie Nietes
Vacated
WBO Light Flyweight Champion
2016 Dec 31 –
Succeeded by:
Kosei Tanaka
Statistics
Nickname(s) Chukyo no Kaibutu (中京の怪物?) “Monster of Chukyo”
Rated at
Height 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m)
Nationality Japanese
Born June 15, 1995 (age 21)
Tajimi, Gifu, Japan
Stance Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights 8
Wins 8
Wins by KO 5
Losses 0

Date:   Saturday, November 5, 2016

WBO JR. FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE BOUT

Location:   Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Promoter:  Top Rank / Bob Arum

Supervisor:  Richard De Cuir

Referee:  Tony Weeks

Judges:  Steven A. Weisfeld; Adalaide Byrd; Burt Clements

Results:   Jessie Magdaleno is the new WBO Junior Featherweight champion following a unanimous-decision victory over Nonito Donaire.

TV:  Panama RPC Channel 4, Australia Main Event, Hungary Sport 1

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By Miguel Maravilla at ringside
Photos: Mikey Williams / Top Rank –

Unbeaten super bantamweight Jessie Magdaleno (24-0, 17 KOs) won by twelve round unanimous decision to dethrone WBO champion Nonito Donaire (37-4, 24 KOs) on Saturday night at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. It was a good action fight with Donaire bringing the pressure and Magdaleno holding his own. Magdaleno rocked Donaire in round nine. Donaire closed strong but it was too little too late. In the end, scores were 116-112, 116-112 and 118-110.
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By Ryan Burton

In just two days, boxing’s only eight division world champion and the reigning Fighter of the Decade Senator MANNY “Pacman” PACQUIAO (58-6-2, 38 KOs), from General Santos City, Philippines, collides with World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight world champion JESSIE VARGAS (27-1, 10 KOs), of Las Vegas.  Pacquiao and Vargas will go mano a mano and toe-to-toe in a high-stakes welterweight showdown.  Photos by Mikey Williams/Top Rank.

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While Pacquiao will be looking to become a three-time WBO welterweight champion as well as the first senator to win a world title, Vargas will be resolute in enforcing a term limit on the future Hall of Famer’s boxing career.

Pacquiao vs. Vargas takes place This Saturday!  November 5 at the Thomas & Mack Center, on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.  Pacquiao vs. Vargas and its three co-main event world title fights will be produced and distributed live by Top Rank® Pay-Per-View, beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT, and will be available on all conventional platforms, including all major cable and satellite systems, as well as Top Rank’s digital distribution via www.TopRank.tv and  mobile devices.

The three additional world championship fights on the pay-per-view telecast include:  four-division world champion NONITO “The Filipino Flash” DONAIRE (37-3, 24 KOs), from General Santos City, Philippines, defending his WBO junior featherweight title against undefeated No. 1 contender JESSIE MAGDALENO (23-0, 17 KOs), from Las Vegas; and newly-minted WBO featherweight champion and two-time Mexican Olympian ÓSCAR VALDEZ (21-0, 18 KOs), from Nogales, Mexico, making his first title defense, against No. 1 contender  HIROSHIGE OSAWA (30-3-4, 19 KOs), from Osaka, Japan.

The pay-per-view telecast will open with the rematch between top-rated contenders Chinese Olympic icon ZOU SHIMING (8-1, 2 KOs), from Guizhou, China, and PRASITAK PAPOEM (39-1-2, 24 KOs), of Buriram, Thailand, battling for the vacant WBO flyweight world title.  Zou a two-time Olympic gold medalist trained by Freddie Roach, will have his hands full against Prasitak, who enters this fight riding a two-year, 12-bout winning streak, with all of his victories coming by way of knockout.

www.boxingscene.com/video-wbo-prez-on-canelo-saunders-parker-ruiz-more–110392?print_friendly=1

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By Rick Reeno –

Super bantamweight contender Jessie Magdaleno (23-0, 17KOs), 24-years-old, is going to apply pressure to secure a mandatory shot at WBO world champion Nonito Donaire (37-3, 24KOs).

After a brief stint at featherweight, Donaire dropped back to 122-pounds and captured the vacant WBO title last December in Puerto Rico with a very hard-fought decision win over Cesar Juarez.

He returned to the ring on April 23rd and made his first defense with a third round stoppage of Zsolt Bedak.

Magdaleno picked up three wins in 2015 and fought back in February, when he stopped Rey Perez in seven rounds.

Magdaleno has a tentative return date of July 16th and hopes to face Donaire in the fall. Both Magdaleno and Donaire are promoted by Top Rank.

While Magdaleno is ranked at number one under the WBO, four of his last five fights have taken place above the super bantamweight limit. Magdaleno has not weighed at 122 since January of last year. He fought at featherweight for his last two contests.

There have been concerns about Magdaleno’s ability to make the super bantamweight limit.

The fighter’s manager, Frank Espinoza, is confident his boxer’s issues with weight are a thing of the past.

“He’s working really hard right now. He’s very motivated. There were some issues outside of the ring, but all of that has been resolved. He’s very hungry, he looks great and he wants that shot at Donaire. Weight is not an issue. If the fight gets made, he’s making 122 no problem,” Espinoza told BoxingScene.com.

“Jessie will fight in the summer, but then he wants that Donaire fight in the fall. He’s ready to make a statement. Both guys are with Top Rank and there shouldn’t be any issues with making this fight happen. I heard Bob Arum wants to make another ‘No-Trump’ pay-per-view in the fall, with the pay-per-view fights involving Mexicans and world titles. A Magdaleno vs. Donaire fight would be perfect for that show. Jessie is ready to fight him anywhere…in Las Vegas, in California, at a senate rally for Manny Pacquiao in the Philippines. Wherever Top Rank wants it to happen, Jessie is ready to fight him and beat him.”

www.boxingscene.com/magdaleno-apply-pressure-nonito-donaire-title-shot–104122?print_friendly=1

Date:   Saturday, April 23, 2016

WBO JR. FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE BOUT

Location:   Cebu City Sports Complex, Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines

Promoter:    ALA Promotions (Michael D. Aldeguer) – Top Rank (Bob Arum)

Supervisor:   Leon Panoncillo

Referee:  Russell Mora

Judges:

Results:

TV:  Philippines ABS-CBN Channel 2, Hungary Magyar Televízió

bedak-donaire-cebu I CAME HERE TO BOX, that’s what challenger Zsolt Bedak (left), a technical former Olympian, said about his fight tomorrow with WBO super bantamweight title holder Nonito Donaire Jr. He said the match will go 12 rounds. However, for Nonito Donaire Sr., the trainer of the champion, the fight will end with Bedak’s knockout in the sixth round.

A visibly pumped Nonito Donaire Jr. is drawing energy from the home crowd, hoping for an explosive finish against challenger Zsolt Bedak in his first defense of the WBO super bantamweight title at the Cebu City Sports Center.

“I feel like there’s a fire burning inside me. Dako kaayo akong pasalamat sa mga tawo, I am very motivated because of the crowd,” the defending champion said after hitting 121 and 3/4 pounds in his first try at the official weigh-in today.

Donaire, a five-division champion with a 36-3, 23KO record, is making his first title defense of the belt he won against Cesar Juarez in his first fight in Cebu.

Zsolt Bedak, who is 25-1 with 8KOs, also made the limit easily at 121 and 1/2 pounds. He expects the fight to go the distance as he came prepared to last 12 rounds against the champion.

KNOCKOUT WIN

However, for Nonito Donaire Sr., the trainer of the champion, he sees the fight ending as early as the sixth round.

“I think it will be until the sixth round only,” said Donaire Sr.

Though he said his son is no longer looking for that one-punch KO, he still sees a knockout win.

“It’s not like before that he’d go in and throw a punch. We will be looking at combos, straight,” he said. “If you feint, Bedak covers up.”

The elder Donaire sees the fight ending in the later rounds should Bedak opt to hold and run, but said the technical former Olympian is perfect for his son.

Bedak ‘won’t be running’

“I like a fighter who throws a lot of punches, because that’s when you can see an opening,” said Donaire Sr.

However, the challenger said he won’t be running come fight night.

“I didn’t come here to put up my hand and run, I came here to box,” he said. “It’s going to go 12 rounds, we prepared for 12 rounds. It’s going to be a decision.”

Bedak has won his last 10 fights since losing to Coliseo Rodriguez in their WBO super bantamweight title bout.

Meanwhile, ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer expects a crowd of 30,000 for tomorrow’s bout, eclipsing the 24,000 who saw Z Gorres’ fight against Fernando Montiel.

www.mycebu..ph/article/donaire-bedak-weigh-in-cebu/

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By Ronnie Nathanielsz –

WBO super bantamweight champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire is improving with every training session as he prepares for his title defense against former Hungarian Olympian and world No. 4 ranked Zsolt Bedak at the Cebu Sports Center on April 23.

The father/trainer of the former five division world champion, “Dodong” Donaire Sr told BoxingScene.com/Tthe Standard that Nonito “is getting better and better every week.”

He said he sparred eight rounds with unbeaten Michigan featherweight, 25 year old Raeese Alem who he said “fights like Bedak and is very fast” and Nonito looked “very good.”

The father/trainer told us Nonito “is getting in shape, going down in weight and instead of slowing down he’s getting so much better. His speed and power is there. He’s going to be fine.”

Dodong” Donaire  said they have been watching tapes of Bedak’s fights and they would do more in the days ahead.

Team Donaire is scheduled to arrive in Manila next Monday and will resume sparring on Tuesday at the Wild Card Gym of the late Rod Nazario in BF Homes, Paranaque on Tuesday and have chosen super featherweight Virgil Puton of General Santos City with whom Nonito sparred before, as sparring partner.

The 26 year old Puton who is trained by Jun Arlos has a record of 16-7 with 7 knockouts.

www.boxingscene.com/nonito-donaire-continues-improve-his-form-camp–102841?print_friendly=1

donaire.on.mitts.151208.300w  By Ronnie Nathanielsz –

Newly crowned WBO super bantamweight champion Nonito “The Filipino” Flash Donaire will make the first defense of his WBO super bantamweight title at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Manila either on April 16 or 23.

Donaire had earlier indicated he was hoping his next title defense will be in Manila so he can repay the fans who have supported him especially after his gallant performance against Cesar Juarez of Mexico to win the WBO super bantamweight title for the second time around.

The New Standard/boxingmirror.com learned that the giant broadcast network ABS-CBN had come to terms with Top Rank promoter Bob Arum who recently signed a three-fight deal with Donaire for 2016, Donaire, Asia’s leading promotional outfit, ALA Promotions and Donaire himself.

Arum had previously told us that Donaire would defend his title against Evgeny Gradovich, the former featherweight champion nicknamed the “Russian-Mexican” sometime in late April after the planned Manny Pacquiao fight on April 9 although Pacquiao has still to pick an opponent.

Donaire who arrived last week from Puerto Rico via Los Angeles with wife Rachel and their two sons, said they plan to stay in the country until February but if the title defense in Manila pushes through he will stay and train in the country until then.

Donaire told us at a luncheon hosted by Gabby Lopez, the top honcho of the giant broadcast network ABS-CBN, that Gradovich has been calling him out and although they are friends and he was a sparring partner when he prepared for the Wilfredo Vazquez Jr title fight, its all business and nothing personal.

He said Gradovich “is like Cesar Juarez. He keeps coming forward and throws a lot of punches even when retreating” but conceded that he doesn’t have too much power.

Donaire told the New Standard/boxingmirro.com that he just has to study tapes of his opponent and indicated that he didn’t have tapes of Juarez to study before the fight and couldn’t do it because the opponent from whom he won the WBO Intercontinental title was a southpaw.

Donaire said he will fight anybody they put in front of him and emphasized “I’m ready to train, ready to go.”

The WBO super bantamweight champion a second time around praised wife Rachel for his change in attitude and habits and his father/trainer “Dodong” Donaire for “doing an amazing job” both during training and during the fight itself but admitted he couldn’t implement all his instructions in-between rounds because of “the freak accident” when he was tripped by Puerto Rican referee, Pena.

He said there were times during the fight when he nailed Juarez with thunderous punches to the body and head and he seemingly fell unconscious for a second but then just as suddenly woke up making Nonito wonder how he did it.

Donaire was happy to have redeemed his reputation with the brutal “Fight of the Year’ candidate and welcomed the tremendous response he has received for his remarkable performance against a fighter of the caliber of Juarez.

Gradovich, a fleet-footed southpaw with quick hands and a fighter who throws a lot of punches even when back-pedaling won the featherweight title by a 9th round TKO after in a rematch with Australia’s Billy Dib on November 24, 2013 after winning the title via a twelve round split decision in March 1, 2013.

Despite putting on a game defense of his title on May 30 this year, Gradovich lost by an 8th round technical decision to Britain’s Lee Selby last October 24.

The Daily Mail of Britain reported that Selby”put on an exceptional performance at the O2 Arena but said that the manner in which the rough Gradovich was dethroned was not the natural conclusion that seemed inevitable”.

A deep cut from an accidental clash of heads did the damage in the seventh round and the referee called for the doctor a minute into the following round and after a quick inspection of Gradovich’s right eye the fight was waved off.

The Daily Mail said “that was unfortunate but in going to the scorecards it revealed the narrow facts of Selby’s brilliance. Two judges gave Selby who is referred to as “The Welsh Mayweather” a six round margin and a third judge gave Selby all eight rounds.”

The report said considering the fight was “against a big-punching Russian in his fifth title defense the performance was quite exceptional, a master-class of dancing feet and quick hands” and pointed out that “everytime Gradovich surged, he seemed to be tagged by a disappearing man.”

http://philboxing.com/news/story-114894.html

Nonito Donaire, Jr. is a Filipino American professional boxer who is popularly known as “The Filipino Flash” for his quick hand speed and punching power. Donaire is a four-weight world champion having won titles in the flyweight, bantamweight, super bantamweight, and featherweight divisions and an interim title holder in the super flyweight division. He is the current WBO super bantamweight champion.

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Pound for pound star Guillermo Rigondeaux has moved to withdraw his appeal against the World Boxing Organization stripping the Cuban of his WBO super bantamweight title.

The 35 year-old was initially hoping to reverse the decision which the WBO stated was due to lack of activity as champion, although ‘Rigo’ has now decided to focus on his career moving forward.

As the belt remains vacant and number one Nonito Donaire faces number two ranked Cesar Juarez this Friday night, the WBO’s Jose Izquierdo was asked to clarify if the bout would be sanctioned for the vacant belt in light of recent events.

“Guillermo Rigondeaux withdrew his appeal. However, we have not yet received any request for Donaire-Juarez. As it stands, the fight is for the WBO International Title,” Izquierdo exclusively told World Boxing News.

That could still change in the run-up to Friday’s fight and would seem to be a no-brainer for the WBO as the pair would certainly have been ordered to face-off for the vacant championship under any other circumstances.

For Rigondeaux, the talented ex-champion can continue a new dawn in his career following victory over Drian Francisco on what was his debut under new promoters Roc Nation in Las Vegas, Nevada at the back end of last month.

http://www.worldboxingnews.net/2015/12/09/news/rigondeaux-gives-up-on-wbo-title-no-change-yet-for-donaire-v-juarez

 

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By Chris Williams: The World Boxing Organization recently stripped their unbeaten super bantamweight champion Guillermo Rigondeaux for him having failed to defend the belt in 11 months.

The vacant WBO 122lb title will be on the line this Friday night for the clash between #1 WBO Cesar Juarez (17-3, 13 KOs) and #2 WBO Nonito Donaire (35-3, 23 KOs) at the Coliseo Roberto Clemente, in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Donaire, 33, has lost 2 out of his last 6 fights, and is a very poor option to be fighting for a world title after his defeats to Rigondeaux and Nicholas Walters. By stripping Rigondeaux and letting the guy that he easily beat just two years ago, the WBO is putting their organization in the position where they could wind up with a much weaker champion than the one they had when Rigondeaux was holding the title.

“As expected, WBO announces that Friday’s @filipinoflash-Cesar Juarez fight will be for organization’s vacant 122 world title. #boxing,” Dan Rafael said on his Twitter.
Juarez, 24, is an even worse candidate for the WBO’s 122lb title, as he’s previously been beaten by Hugo Partida, Jorge Lara and Edgar Lozano. Juarez has done nothing to deserve the #1 WBO ranking that he’s currently holding with the WBO. Juarez’s recent controversial 8 round decision win over Cesar Ceda appears to be the reason for him getting the No.1 ranking with the WBO.

That fight should have been a 12 round fight rather than an 8 rounder, and Juarez should have had to fight someone better than the guys he’s been fighting to get the ranking.

Donaire will likely win the WBO title and wind up being seen as a paper champion. It would be nice if Donaire volunteered to fight Rigondeaux to try and clear up his one-sided loss to him, but I don’t see that happening. Donaire’s 84-year-old promoter Bob Arum will likely never let him fight Rigondeaux ever again.

I think it was a really bad experience for Arum the last time that Donaire and Rigondeaux fought, because the loss for Donaire really took the wind out of the sails of his pro career. Donaire still hasn’t gotten his career back to where it was before his one-sided loss to Rigondeaux, and beating the little known Juarez with his inflated resume won’t do anything to make boxing fans forget about his loss to the Cuban star or to Nicholas Walters.

It’s like that Arum will look to match Donaire up against the winner of the Scott Quigg vs. Carl Frampton unification fight in 2016. Rigondeaux, who is seen as the best fighter in the 122lb division by many boxing fans, will probably be locked out of a fight against any of those guys, especially against Donaire. No way do I see Arum letting Donaire get schooled a second time by Rigondeaux, because the way that he was beaten by him suggests that the will always get beaten by him no matter how many times they fight.

In other news, Arum will be announcing Manny Pacquiao’s next opponent this Friday on the Donaire-Juarez card on truTV. The name that is being mentioned by boxing fans is WBO welterweight champion Tim Bradley in what would be a third fight between Pacquiao and Bradley.

You’ve got to wish Pacquiao and Arum good luck in trying to sell that fight to the boxing public. Even if they load up the undercard with top fighters, which seriously they will do, I doubt the Pacquiao-Bradley fight will do more than 400,000 PPV buys on HBO. I know their two previous fights have brought in between 800,000 to 900,000 PPV buys, but I see there being diminishing returns this time around.

It’s like when you play a movie at a theater for a month or so. Initially, people are interested in seeing it, but after a while people lose interest and stop coming out to see it. Finally, they just wish the theater will get a new movie and quit wasting time advertising something that people have already seen before.

It would better for Pacquiao to fight anyone else at this point as long as they’re someone new, and someone the boxing public actually cares about seeing on PPV. I don’t personally see Bradley as a PPV fighter, so I don’t have any interest at all in paying to see Pacquiao-Bradley 3. Maybe if Arum makes it a complimentary showing where it’s free, I might want to see it, but other than that, I can’t see myself paying to see a third fight between these two old timers.

http://www.boxingnews24.com/2015/12/donaire-juarez-to-fight-for-rigondeauxs-wbo-122lb-title/

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Felix Verdejo and Nonito Donaire took part a media workout on Tuesday ahead of their respective bouts on the Top Rank promoted card of the MetroPCS Friday Night Knockout card on TruTV from the Roberto Clemente Coliiseum this Friday night.

Verdejo (18-0, 13 KOs), from San Juan, will be making his homecoming a 10-round defense of his WBO Latino lightweight title against Josenilson Dos Santos (25-3, 15 KOs), of Sao Paulo, Brasil, and Donaire (35-3, 23 KOs), from General Santos City, Philippines, who is on the cusp of another world title shot, will be challenging WBO International junior featherweight champion and No. 1 world-rated contender Cesar Juarez (17-3, 13 KOs), of Mexico City, in a 12-round rumble.

The four boxers boast a combined record of 95-9 (64 KOs) — a winning ratio of 91%, with 2/3 of their total victories coming by way of knockout.

Below is what Donaire and Verdejo had to say during their workouts

NONITO DONAIRE

“When I was down on the canvas in the Walters fight I thought to myself, ’this is a blessing.’ It was a blessing because I had lost my way, not giving boxing the respect it deserves. I was searching for something. I was unsatisfied. I went home and re-dedicated myself to the sport. I worked harder in the gym. I got out bed early in the mornings and did my running. I went to a Tony Robbins seminar for motivation and then read the book, The Power of Habits.

“My opponent is a tough guy and he is hungry like a wolf. My job is to beat the wolf. He’s actually ranked higher than me. He is No. 1 and I am No. 2.

“I must win on Friday night. I am out of setbacks.

“I feel like I am 21 again. My speed has increased. I can feel my power is much stronger. My happiness is back. I had a great camp.

“But I know what must be done.

“I must win.”

FELIX VERDEJO

“It was Felix “Tito” Trinidad who inspired me when I was a very young fighter. He has given me a lot of advice. We are friends and I hope Tito comes to the fight on Friday night.

“I have no pain in my hand. I feel great. I like to feel 100 percent when I get into the ring, so I waited until my hand was completely healed for this fight.

“I feel comfortable at 135 pounds and do not have a problem making that weight. I can make 130 pounds if my promoter Top Rank asks.

“This is a big fight card and I am in the main event. I think of all the sacrifices me and our team made to get here. All of the hard work in the gym has paid off.”

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http://www.secondsout.com/news/main-news/donaire-and-verdejo-media-workout-quotes

Atlantic City.-El campeón mundial cubano Guillermo Rigondeaux venció abrumadoramente por unanimidad al ghanés Joseph Agbeko, el 7 de diciembre en Atlantic City, Nueva Jersey.

“El Chacal” Rigondeaux recibió votación de 120-108 de los tres jueces, lo que significa que el trío de oficiales lo vio imponerse en cada uno de los 12 asaltos.

Para el invicto Rigondeaux (13-0-0, 8 KOs) fue la cuarta defensa exitosa del cinturón de la Asociación Mundial (AMB) y la primera de la Organización Mundial (OMB), que obtuvo el 13 de abril al imponerse por unanimidad al filipino Nonito Donaire en Nueva York.

Y tal como ocurrió ante Donaire, ahora el oriundo de la oriental provincia de Santiago de Cuba, ofreció una disertación de las mejores cualidades de un boxeador: sentido de la distancia, rapidez de manos y piernas, anticipación en el desembarco de los golpes y una guardia casi inexpugnable para Agbeko.

En los dos primeros asaltos, Rigondeaux pegó varios jabs y ganchos de zurda al africano, quien se lanzaba hacia delante con ambos guantes protegiéndose el rostro, pero incapaz de impactar con solidez en la anatomía del caribeño.

Durante los siguientes asaltos, “Rigo”, como le llaman sus allegados, se mantuvo pegando con exactitud y desplazándose hacia los laterales o hacia atrás para evitar las arremetidas de Agbeko, superado en toda la línea.

Al final de cada round, Pedro Luis Díaz, el entrenador del cubano, lo conminaba a mantener los puños en alto y combinar con las dos manos, una táctica que el monarca cumplió al pie de la letra.

Después de concluida la reyerta y sobre la posibilidad de conceder la revancha a Donaire, Rigondeaux respondió: “Cuando quiera le vuelvo a dar otra paliza, pero que deje de llorar”.

Igualmente aceptó vérselas con el recién ingresado a las filas profesionales, el ruso Vasyl Lomachenko, de 25 años y doble monarca olímpico y también con par de coronas mundiales en las filas amateurs.

Para los amantes del buen boxeo, Rigondeaux hizo lo que exige la disciplina: pegar y evitar ser impactado. Sus virtudes personales son similares a las de Floyd Mayweather Jr. y Andre Ward, dos de los mejores libra por libra del mundo.

Pero otros arguyen que “no ofrece espectáculo”, algo que podría aplicarse al binomio antes mencionado, artífices también de “picar como abeja y volar como mariposa”, una definición que el estadounidense Mohammed Alí, uno de los mejores púgiles de la historia, daba a su forma de pelear.

King Kong” Agbeko (29-4-0, 22 KOs), quien actualmente reside en el Bronx de Nueva York, había derrotado por unanimidad al zurdo colombiano Luis “Surtigás” Meléndez, el 22 de marzo en Accra, Ghana, en la discusión del título vacante gallo de la Organización Internacional (OIB).

Antes había sufrido par de reveses ante el mexicano Abner Mares, ambos en 2011, cuando perdió la faja de las 118 libras de la FIB, conseguida ante el el nicaragüense Luis Alberto “El Demoledor” Pérez, en 2007, en Sacramento, California.

Agbeko perdió momentáneamente el cinturón ante Yohhny Pérez, en 2009, pero después lo reconquistó en pelea revancha el 31 de octubre de 2010.

www.zonadeboxeo.com
PHOTO: Ed Mulholland/HBO

http://www.zonadeboxeo.com/noticias/noticias-destacadas/16446-guillermo-el-chacal-rigondeaux-diserto-ante-king-kong-agbeko

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By Gabriel F. Cordero –

After his win against former world champion Vic Darchinyan on Saturday in Corpus Christi, three-division world champion Nonito Donaire called for a rematch with WBA/WBO super bantamweight champion Guillermo Rigondeaux. Rigondeaux responded on his Twitter account, saying “I’m the 122lb king @filipinoflash if you want it come get it in Miami in March 2014.” According to a source, if Rigondeaux (12-0, 8 KOs) successfully defends his titles against former champ Joseph Agbeko (29-4, 22 KOs) on December 7 in Atlantic City, his next defense is supposed to take place in the month of March in Miami at the American Airlines Arena during the famous “Carnaval de la Calle 8″ celebrated by the large Cuban community in that city.

http://www.fightnews.com/Boxing/rigondeaux-to-donaire-if-you-want-it-come-get-it-in-miami-in-march-2014-231033

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By Keith Idec –

Vic Darchinyan is six years older and has five more losses on his record than he did the week before his first fight against Nonito Donaire.

The powerful southpaw from Armenia is still every bit as confident and defiant as he was before Donaire knocked him out in the fifth round of their July 2007 flyweight title fight in Bridgeport, Conn. Darchinyan predicted on a conference call Tuesday that he’ll knock out Donaire after exposing the former four-division champion during their rematch Saturday night in Corpus Christi, Texas (9:30 p.m. ET/PT).

“I’m going to stop him,” Darchinyan said. “I’m going to prove to all the world it’s not about him, it is about me. I have more skills, I have more power and I am very motivated. … I know everything he’s going to do and everything I’m going to do. I’m going to come and demolish him. I want to prove to all the world that I’ve waited for this fight for a long time and I’m ready.”

The 37-year-old Darchinyan was 28-0, including 22 knockouts, when he attempted to defend his IBF flyweight title against Donaire. The scheduled 12-round fight was even on two scorecards entering the fifth round, when Donaire drilled Darchinyan with a left hook that knocked down Darchinyan for the first time as an amateur or a pro.

Darchinyan (39-5-1, 28 KOs) said Tuesday he didn’t know how to deal with the knockdown and that inexperience cost him because he attempted to get up too quickly, only to fall down again, face-first into the ropes. Referee Eddie Claudio stopped the fight at 1:38 of the fifth, after Darchinyan fell a second time.

The former flyweight and super flyweight champion has chased a rematch with Donaire ever since the night that changed the careers of both boxers. Now that he finally has secured that second shot at the 30-year-old Donaire (31-2, 20 KOs), who went on to become a star, Darchinyan promised he won’t waste it.

“I’m very motivated for this fight,” Darchinyan said, “because I know I lost to him. … I’m going to expose him and I’m going to show all the world I can beat him. I can beat him easy. I’m going to show all the world how good I am.”

http://www.boxingscene.com/darchinyan-im-going-expose-demolish-donaire–71380

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By Luis Sandoval –

Orlando “Siri” Salido was back in vintage form Saturday night as he outworked and dominated Orlando Cruz to recapture the WBO Featherweight championship belt. It’s the same title he lost in January to Mikey Garcia as Salido’s performance against Cruz was night and day compared to how he fared with Garcia.

Now that Salido is once again a champion, he has some great opportunities waiting for him. BoxingScene caught up with Salido and asked who he’d like to face next.

“I want to face the best fighters. Whoever is there. There’s [Nonito] Donaire, there’s the Olympian [Vasyl] Lomachenko. There are various names” Salido would tell BoxingScene.

Two time Olympic gold medalist Lomachenko made his professional debut on the same card as Salido and there are already plans to match both men up for their next fight. Lomachenko is definitely on a fast track as facing a 54 fight veteran champion like Salido is a drastic step up for him in his 2nd professional fight even if he does have one of the most impressive amateur careers.

“I thought [Lomachenko] looked good. He moved but he was fighting a much smaller fighter. We have to see how it looks when he faces a true Featherweight like [myself]” said Salido. “He has a very good amateur career. Olympics, world championships and they say he deserves [a fight with me]. So if he deserves it, we’re here ready for him”.

Another fight that is still on Salido’s mind is a rematch with Mikey Garcia who soundly defeated him in their contest. Salido feels he wasn’t in the right state of mind for that fight and if he got a chance to rectify that loss, he’d take it in a heartbeat.

“The last fight I had some problems and I wasn’t fully focused on what I had to do in the ring. I went in there just to get hit and tonight was different. This time we had a positive mentality to win and to do my job and to look good. I still have that torn in my side and if I get a chance to fight [Garcia] again, then bring it on” said the WBO Featherweight champion.

It was also recently reported by BoxingScene that Gary Russell Jr has been designated as the mandatory challenger for Salido’s title so he immediately gets put in the mix as well. Per the WBO, Russell must be given a title shot within the next 180 days.

Looks like Salido and his team have their work cut out for them as they decide who they will face next.

http://www.boxingscene.com/salido-lets-see-lomachenko-face-true-featherweight–70664

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By Chris Robinson

This past Wednesday, in Corpus Christi, Tex., trainer Robert Garcia was able to cross paths and spend considerable time with one of his star fighters, multi-division champion Nonito Donaire, for the first time in several months.

Donaire was in the city for a Top Rank press conference to announce an HBO-televised tripleheader featuring his rematch with Vic Darchinyan, a junior lightweight title match between WBO champion Roman ‘Rocky’ Martinez and Mikey Garcia, and a clash for the vacant WBO junior middleweight title between contenders Demetrius Andrade and Vanes Martirosyan.

Donaire is coming off of a unanimous decision loss to Cuban stalwart Guillermo Rigondeaux this past April. Following the defeat, Donaire had a successful surgery on his right shoulder and also celebrated the birth of his first child with his wife Rachel as they welcomed their son Jarel into the world in July.

Following a late-night training session with Donaire on Wednesday evening, Garcia was able to tell just how focused the Fil-Am star has been.

“We worked together a little bit,” Garcia noted. “Believe me, right now Nonito is probably better than ever. I had never seen him like this with two months before his fight. He’s about, I would say, no more than seven or eight pounds from the division where he’s going to fight. I had never seen that. He’s motivated, he’s dedicated. And when we worked out, man he’s so fast and strong.”

Heading into the rematch with Darchinyan, who Donaire stopped in five rounds in July of 2007 in one of the year’s biggest upsets, Garcia is looking to make sure his fighter stays light on his feet.

“The thing I told him is ‘When you go back home, I want you to work a lot on your footwork. Because that’s going to be very important not just for this fight, but for your future fights. I want you to have great legs and great footwork.’ Believe me, people will see a difference, especially when we start working together.

“People will see the best Nonito they’ve ever seen,” Garcia stated adamantly.

Garcia explained that Donaire went back to Las Vegas late Friday and he will be coming to his personal facility in Oxnard to dive into a full training camp very shortly.

“Starting next week, we’re going to start working together,” said Garcia. “He’s going to come to Oxnard. I’m telling you, he’s already prepared and he’s already doing things that I haven’t seen. We still got seven weeks before the fight. It will be much better.”

Donaire has spent much of his previous camps training out of the Undisputed Boxing Gym in Northern California, but his preference for the facility limited his one on one time with Garcia, who has a flourishing stable of champions and prospects training in his own gym.

Garcia would often make the drive from Oxnard to Northern California to be with Donaire during the second half of the week for some camps and his time was even more limited heading into the Rigondeaux match, as he was back home helping Brandon Rios prepare for his rematch with Mike Alvarado.

Understanding what it best for his career at this point, Donaire is committed to a camp in Oxnard and despite Garcia’s bevy of fighters, the two-time Trainer of the Year expects things to go smoothly when Nonito hits town.

“Look, it’s not like he’s going to be with everybody training at the same time,” said Garcia. “I don’t know [if] other gyms do it like I do. With me, Nonito is going to have his time. With me, [Marcos] Maidana has his time. Maidana trains by himself at 10 in the morning. Brandon [Rios] trains by himself at noon. Nonito will come in at maybe three or four. That will be his own time. I’ll have that two hours just to focus on him.”

http://www.boxingscene.com/robert-garcia-on-nonito-donaires-training-camp-more–69901

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By Sharon Scrima –

Former WBO featherweight champion Mikey Garcia will be making his junior lightweight debut on November 9 in Corpus Christi, Texas to challenge Rocky Martinez for the WBO title, as reported by BoxingScene.com.

Garcia (32-0, 27 KO’s) attempts to make a run at junior lightweight after having been stripped of his featherweight title in June for failing to make weight for a title defense against Juan Manuel Lopez in Dallas. His struggle to make the 126-pound limit was well documented in the HBO coverage prior to the bout, a fight he won with ease by fourth round TKO over the poorly coordinated and shopworn Lopez.

Neither the move up in weight nor the opponent comes as a surprise, as Martinez (27-1-2, 16 KO’s) had been targeted as a potential future partner for Garcia even prior to the Lopez fight. Martinez retained the WBO junior lightweight belt with a disputed draw against Juan Carlos Burgos on the undercard of Garcia’s fight against Orlando Salido in January at Madison Square Garden, where the technically gifted and powerful boxer-puncher from Oxnard, California defeated Salido for the featherweight belt. The action was called to a halt in Round 8 after Garcia’s nose was broken by an unintentional headbutt, leading by a wide margin on all three scorecards to secure the victory.

This will be the third title defense for Martinez who beat Diego Magdaleno this past April in Macau by split decision. The 30-year old Puerto Rican champion possesses the straight ahead, come forward style that plays right into the hands of the talented Garcia and should make for an entertaining scrap while it lasts.

Martinez vs. Garcia is expected to be part of an HBO televised triple-header that will also feature the Nonito Donaire vs Vic Darchinyan rematch, plus Demetrius Andrade vs Vanes Martirosyan for the vacant WBO junior middleweight belt.

http://www.sportsmedia101.com/boxing/2013/09/09/mikey-garcia-to-return-on-november-9-against-rocky-martinez/

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By Miguel Rivera –

Former two-division world champion Juan Manuel Lopez (33-2, 30KOs) is having no problem making the featherweight limit for Saturday’s fight with WBO champion Mikey Garcia at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. When Lopez left the gym on Wednesday, he weighed 127-pounds – one pound under the featherweight limit.

After dropping back down to face Garcia, Lopez found that he didn’t really struggle to make the weight. He felt so comfortable in camp that he wants to stick around for at least one more fight – against Filipino star Nonito Donaire (31-2, 20KOs). Donaire would be Lopez’s final fight at 126, before he moves up to chase a third world crown at super featherweight.

“After Mikey Garcia, I want to fight Nonito Donaire and then I’m going to move up to 130-pounds to pursue a title there,” Juanma said.

http://www.boxingscene.com/juanma-lopez-garcia-i-want-nonito-donaire–66548

Date: April 13, 2013

WBO Jr. Featherweight Championship Title Bout

Location: Radio City Music Hall, New York, NY

Promoter:  Bob Arum (Top Rank)

Referee:  Benjy Esteves, Jr.

Judges:  Julie Lederman (111-116), Tom Schreck (112-115), John Stewart (113-114)

Supervisor:  John Duggan, Esq.

Results:  Guillermo Rigondeaux won a 12-round unanimous decision over Nonito Donaire for the WBO/WBA title.

Pacquiao_MarquezSAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO- La Organización Mundial de Boxeo (OMB), por medio de su presidente Francisco “Paco” Valcárcel, felicitó al campeón supergallo de la entidad, el filipino Nonito Donaire, quien fue escogido como Boxeador del Año 2012 por la Asociación de Escritores de Boxeo de América (BWAA, por sus siglas en inglés), así como la Pelea del Año entre los múltiples monarcas mundiales Manny Pacquiao y Juan Manuel Márquez.

“Por este medio queremos felicitar a Nonito Donaire por este gran logro en su carrera y además decir que estamos orgullosos que sea uno de nuestros campeones. Nonito es uno de los mejores boxeadores en la actualidad y nos honra que lleve en alto las correas de la OMB”, dijo Valcárcel sobre el peleador que defendió su correa de las 122 libras en tres ocasiones durante 2012. “También felicitamos a Robert García (Entrenador del Año 2012), un amigo personal mío, por su gran labor como entrenador de Nonito y de otros buenos peleadores que tiene en su cuadra, como su hermano Mikey García, que se coronó recientemente”.

Nonito DonaireDonaire (31-1, 20 KOs), que había sido campeón gallo de la OMB, comenzó el 2012 con un triunfo por decisión en febrero sobre el puertorriqueño Wilfredo Vázquez Jr. para ganar el cetro vacante supergallo de la OMB, que defendió exitosamente con victorias sobre los ex monarcas mundiales Jeffrey Mathebula en julio, Toshiaki Nishioka en octubre y Jorge “Travieso” Arce en diciembre.

Mientras, Valcárcel también elogió la elección como Pelea del Año 2012 por la BWAA al cuarto combate entre Pacquiao (54-5-2, 38 KOs) y Márquez (55-6-1, 40 KOs), en el que la OMB entregó al mexicano la correa de Campeón de la Década, que estaba destinado al vencedor entre estas dos leyendas. Este choque se efectuó el 8 de diciembre en el MGM Grand de Las Vegas y lo ganó Márquez con un espectacular nocaut en el sexto asalto. Pacquiao había sido derribado en el tercer asalto y Márquez en el quinto, pero en el sexto Márquez le conectó una fuerte derecha a Pacquiao que lo dejó tendido sobre el cuadrilátero por la cuenta definitiva.

“Sabíamos que sería una pelea grande, ya que medía a dos leyendas del boxeo, y así fue, una gran pelea que mantuvo a todo el mundo a la expectativa y que le dio a Márquez el título de Campeón de la Década de la OMB”, indicó Valcárcel. “Felicitamos a Márquez y a Pacquiao por darle a los fanáticos tan buen espectáculo”.

By Jhonny Gonzalez

BoxingScene.com was advised by several sources that a deal is nearly complete for a super bantamweight unification between champions Nonito Donaire (31-1, 20KOs) and Guillermo Rigondeaux (11-0, 8KOs). The match would take place on an HBO televised date of April 13th, in New York or Los Angeles.

Rigondeaux’s manager, Gary Hyde, has confirmed that he received an official contract for the match. And the Rigondeaux team have told BoxingScene that they are “happy with the contract in principle and hope to have it signed this week.”

Donaire will face a very stiff test in Rigondeaux, considered by many experts as one of best fighters in the history of amateur boxing and a two-time Olympic gold medal winner.

Both fighters are promoted by Top Rank.

Golden Boy Promotions have been pushing very hard for a unification between Donaire and WBC champion Abner Mares. A few days ago, Golden Boy issued an offer of $3 million dollars to Top Rank for the services of Donaire. While the offer was very generous, there were very few insiders who actually believed the deal would come together.

http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&opt=printable&id=61868

WBO/Ring Magazine and WBC Diamond Belt super bantamweight champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire will go after the WBA title of undefeated Guillermo Rigondeaux in Las Vegas on April 27.

Top Rank promoter Bob Arum told BoxingScene.com/Manila Standard that any talk  about  Donaire fighting on a possible Manny Pacquiao fight card planned for April was “nonsense.”

It was part of a proposal presented to sports patron, business tycoon and the owner of ABC 5 television Manny Pangilinan by  Team Pacquiao member Eric Pineda for an ambitious card in Manila with Pacquiao facing Humberto Sotto in the main event and Donaire against an unnamed Mexican opponent in a co-main event.

Under the proposal WBO/WBA champion Brian Viloria would defend his title against a Mexican opponent on a card that would also include promising featherweight, southpaw Michael Farenas.

Both Arum and Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz shot down the proposal with Arum telling us “that’s nonsense” since Donaire has a fight lined up in Las Vegas in April and “the Philippine TV rights are committed to ABS-CBN.”

Donaire is coming off a terrific year during which he moved up in weight and won the WBO super bantamweight  title handily in a clash with Wilfredo Vazquez Jr and then successfully defended the title against IBF champion Jeffrey Mathebula of South Africa, won a handsome 9th round TKO over Japan’s WBC super champion Toshiaki Nishioka and then battered four division world champion Jorge “Travieso” Arce in three rounds one week after Pacquiao suffered a devastating 6th round  knockout against Juan Manuel Marquez.

His impressive showing in 2012 won Donaire the accolade of “Fighter of the Year” from such prestigious organizations as ESPN, Ring TV, Boxingscene.com and Yahoo Sports.

Donaire and Rigondeaux had a verbal run-in during the week of the Donaire-Arce fight which is likely to help hype the fight against the Cuban who has only 11 fights with 9 knockouts and no defeats.

In his last title defense on September 15 last year, Rigondeaux won a unanimous twelve round decision over Roberto Marroquin who put up a solid effort although the former Cuban Olympic gold medalist dominated most of the fight despite being staggered in round three by a left hook which is regarded as the lethal weapon of Donaire.

Rigondeaux scored a knockdown in round five but was again staggered by Marroquin with a left hook in round nine before the WBA champion dropped Marroquin in the twelfth and final round.

By Ronnie Nathanielsz

http://www.boxingscene.com/donaire-vs-rigondeaux-on-4-27-vegas-says-arum–61461