AP
Nonito Donaire Jr.’s roller-coaster career is making another stop at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
This was confirmed by Top Rank’s Bob Arum, promoter of the 33-year-old Filipino fighter who staged another successful comeback after winning the WBO world super bantamweight title last December against Cesar Juarez in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Donaire has won spectacular bouts at the Big Dome, including a second-round knockout of William Prado of Brazil last year that helped him get closer to the eventual world title fight against Juarez.
In 2009, Araneta Coliseum also served as his launch pad to stardom when Donaire stopped Raul Martinez in the fourth round for the IBO and IBF flyweight crowns.
Arum said his prized ward will stake his crown against Mexican-Russian Evgeny Gradovich on April 23 at Araneta Coliseum.
“Our plans for him are to have him next fight at the world-famous Araneta Coliseum in the Philippines,” Arum was quoted as telling BoxingScene.com.
Donaire won his last three fights and is on the upswing after a brutal knockout loss to Nicholas Walters in 2014 at StubHub Center in Carson, California.
But Donaire is expected to face a tough battle against former stablemate Gradovich (20-1-1 with 9 KOs), who trains under former Donaire trainer Robert Garcia.
Incidentally, the website cited Donaire’s thrilling unanimous decision triumph over Juarez as one of the finest of the year.
Donaire (36-3-0 with 23 knockouts) flashed his vintage form against Juarez, whom he decked twice in the fourth round.