Donaire gets ‘systems boost’

NEW YORK CITY—Already the overwhelming favorite, Nonito Donaire Jr., will fight with a “systems boost” when he puts his two world bantam titles on the line against Omar Narvaez on Saturday (Sunday morning in Manila).

Aside from power, speed and stamina, Donaire is in perfect shape for his last fight at 118 lb after going through a six-month program prepared by his strength and conditioning consultant Victor Conte.

“He takes 11 nutritional supplements, powders and pills,” Conte told the Inquirer before Donaire and Narvaez tipped the scale at the Affinia Hotel across from Madison Square Garden, site of the 12-round title bout.

“He takes different things. Some things he takes before he trains, others before he fights, and other things he takes immediately after to replenish his system of glycogen level and re-synthesized ATP to accelerate tissue healing and repair,” Conte added.

Donaire is also taking something to give him a good night’s sleep, according to Conte, who is trying to polish his tarnished reputation by vowing to come clean and help Donaire do it through natural means.

Conte was convicted and served time after his Bay Area Laboratories Cooperative was accused of distributing performance-enhancing drugs which smeared the careers of the likes of baseball home run king Barry Bonds and Olympic champion trackster Marion Jones.

“These are all safe,” he said. “They call it grass, which means they are generally recognized as safe by the government, they are all natural.”