Photo by Marc Anthony Reyes
NEW YORK CITY—It will take from five to seven rounds to break down Omar Narvaez then Nonito Donaire Jr. will likely finish the job in the eighth.
That’s the fearless forecast Tuesday of Robert Garcia, trainer of WBC and WBO bantamweight champion Donaire, noting that his ward is in great shape for his October 22 title bout against the undefeated Narvaez of Argentina at the Theater of the Madison Square Garden here.
“Nonito is ready for 12 rounds. I know Narvaez wants to take the fight to the latter rounds. He’s got experience, he’s done it many times, he will try to use that,” said Garcia during a media workout at the Kingsway Gym in midtown Manhattan.
“But with Nonito’s speed and power, he will start breaking him down. I’m not saying it’s gonna be fast. [It will take] Five, six, seven [rounds] just to break him down and more like finish it by the eighth round. I never make predictions but the way Nonito is training, he is in perfect shape,” added Garcia, who is a former IBF junior lightweight champion.
Donaire, Garcia said, would be jogging on the road and on treadmill in the next few days to make sure he sheds the four pounds he carries over the bantamweight division’s 118-lb limit.
As cameras flashed, Donaire punished the mitts with combinations with Filipino former WBA light welterweight champion Morris East on the other end.
Narvaez was training in the gym at the Affinia Hotel where both he and Donaire are billeted.
The 36-year-old Argentinian, unbeaten in 35 fights, refused interviews even with Top Rank people.
Donaire said he didn’t bother to look at Narvaez’s tapes but said his camp has drafted a fight plan where they hope to find kinks in the challenger’s defense.
“If he makes a mistake, I will make him pay for it,” Donaire told the throng of reporters and supporters.
Asked about Bob Arum’s statement that he would make him “the next boxing superstar,” Donaire said he is not pressured to perform but is inspired to give it his best shot.
“I refused to let that (Arum comment) affect me. I just want to entertain and give the fans a good performance. I have many supporters now and they look up to me as inspiration in whatever they do,” said Donaire.
“Especially the Filipino community here, I want to spread inspiration. If it can’t come from Manny Pacquiao, at least it comes from me.”
Top Rank president Todd duBoef said fighting in New York will bring more luster to Donaire’s career.
“The electricity of New York City is unlike any city. It has long been the mecca of boxing and when you are able to bring in one of the pound-for-pound greats like Nonito, it’s great for the sport and great for his development and marketability.”
The fight will be shown live on HBO Boxing After Dark.
Donaire also expressed delight at getting compared with Pacquiao and likened it to being compared with Muhammad Ali during his prime.
“It’s a big honor. I mean we’re looking at the best fighter now. It’s like being compared to Bruce Lee when he was best, or like Ali when he was No. 1,” he said. “I kept working very hard hoping to be compared to him.”