MANILA, Philippines—Manila’s father figure welcomed one of the city’s adopted sons, newly crowned World Boxing Council and World Boxing Organization bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire Jr., at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Centennial Terminal early Wednesday morning.
Mayor Alfredo Lim praised the boxer for making the whole country proud with the “very spectacular” knockout of bantamweight division world champion boxer Fernando “Cochulito” Montiel of Mexico last February 19.
“I and the entire city of Manila congratulate him. He had an amazing win over Montiel, whom he was already able to knock out as early as the second round,” Lim said.
A longtime supporter, the mayor has been feting Donaire each time he returned to the country after fights since 1997.
As early as 6 a.m., the triumphant boxer and his wife Rachel were met at the airport by City Hall officials led by Lim, his chief of staff Ricardo de Guzman, first district Councilor Niño de la Cruz and city security force chief Nicolas Amparo.
The city’s tourism department employees handed the Donaire couple flowers, and the City Hall band burst out in song as the couple stepped out of the arrival lobby.
As per tradition, a motorcade around Manila and a press conference is slated sometime this week to give the residents a chance to see Donaire personally, said de Guzman.