MANILA, Philippines?In many ways, Manny Pacquiao has opened doors for many fighters to big-time matches. As it turns out, not just Filipino fighters.

Before Nonito Donaire climbed the ring Saturday in Las Vegas?where he eventually stopped South African challenger Moruti Mthalane to retain his flyweight crown?the ?Filipino Flash? paid tribute to the ?Pacman.?

?He was the key to opening the door,? Donaire told the New York Times in a recent interview. ?He has done everything for all the Filipino fighters. We can always thank him for everything. Just endless thanks.?

Now, a name linked to Donaire may have to thank Pacquiao, too.

Pacquiao?s dream match against Oscar De La Hoya on Dec. 6, has opened the eyes of Donaire?s famous victim, the hard-hitting Armenian Vic Darchinyan, to the possibility of climbing several weight classes to also fight the Golden Boy.

?We?re going to fight De La Hoya at 152 pounds,? Darchinyan?s manager, Gary Shaw, told the Sydney Morning Herald recently.

Darchinyan is coming off a crushing nine-round stoppage of Mexican superstar Cristian Mijares and, apart from calling out Donaire for a rematch to avenge his knockout loss to the Filipino, the slugger revealed he was willing to climb eight weight divisions to fight De La Hoya.

Like the De La Hoya-Pacquiao match, pundits are referring to Darchinyan?s bid as a mismatch.

?Darchinyan has the stature of a jockey, standing at just 166 (centimeters),? the newspaper reported. ?De La Hoya is 179 tall, has a reach of 185 and will fight the Philippines? firebrand, Manny Pacquiao, at the welterweight limit of 147 pounds.?

?It may seem a mismatch with De La Hoya and probably won?t happen, but Pacquiao is a former flyweight champion and stands at just 169 (centimeters), so never say never,? the paper continued.