Anybody but Evgeny Gradovich.
As far as Nonito Donaire Jr., is concerned, he is open to facing all the tough guys in the talent-heavy featherweight class but not his former stablemate, Mexican-Russian Gradovich.
“We worked well together (Gradovich) and we’re in the same team and in the same house and it would be wrong for me to overstep that boundary,” the reigning Super WBA champion was quoted as saying.
In an article on boxingscene.com, Donaire welcomed the plan hatched by his promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank to create a “quasi-tournament” that will decide, once and for all, the king of the 126-pound division.
Gradovich, the current IBF champ, is handled by 2012 Trainer of the Year Robert Garcia.
Donaire has since broken off with Garcia and reunited with his father, Donaire Sr., although the topnotch Mexican-American mentor remained in his corner when he fought Simpiwe Vetyeka last May.
“Now we have the opportunity to put together a quasi-tournament with all of these great featherweight,” Arum was quoted by espn.com as saying. “Featherweight happens to be a loaded division.”