Nonito Donaire celebrates his win over Vic Darchinyan during round 9 of their featherweight rematch, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2013, in Corpus Christi, Texas. Even in the glow of victory, the Filipino boxing star’s first thoughts were about his compatriots caught by a deadly supertyphoon in the Philippines. AP FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — Out to redeem himself after a rough year, Nonito Donaire Jr., returns to the ring on May 10 against IBF featherweight champion Simphiwe Vetyeka of South Africa in a title fight at Venetian Resort in Macau.
Internet reports said the bout, which stakes Vetyeka’s crown he took from erstwhile unbeaten Chris John of Indonesia, is a done deal and could possibly also land another Filipino-American star Brian Viloria in the undercard.
Donaire, 31, lost a unanimous decision to Cuba’s highly tactical but unexciting Guillermo Rigondeaux last April in New York City.
Donaire came back to the ring last November against former conquest Vic Darchinyan.
He repeated over the Armenian-American slugger but not after trailing on score cards all evening and rescuing himself with a left hook that stopped Darchinyan in the 9th.
This time, though, Donaire is eyeing a title in a fourth weight division and establish himself in the 126 territory strewn with tough guys like Orlando Salido, Jhonny Gonzales, Evgeny Gradovich and Abner Mares.
Vetyeka (26-2-0, 16 KOs) is largely unknown and has fought mostly in his country but is carrying a legitimate title.
Donaire has won world titles in flyweight, bantamweight and super bantamweight divisions.