Jessie Magdaleno (L) and WBO junior featherweight champion Nonito Donaire pose during their official weigh-in at the Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas on November 4, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Donaire will defend his title against Magdaleno on November 5 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. Ethan Miller/Getty Images/AFP
LAS VEGAS– Whoever explodes the big bomb first wins the bout.
That’s likely to be the scenario when Nonito “Filipino Flash” Donaire stakes his World Boxing Organization junior featherweight crown against fellow Las Vegan Jessie Magdaleno Saturday (Sunday in Manila) in the undercard of The Legend vs The Champ at Thomas & Mack Center here.
Both pack a mean wallop and both seem to genuinely hate each other.
The 33-year-old Donaire, a five-division world champion, told the media Thursday that the unbeaten Magdaleno, brash and boastful at 24, won’t last the full 12 rounds.
Donaire (37-3, 24 knockouts) said Magdaleno (23-0, 17 KOs) hasn’t fought a guy like him. One who wields both power and speed.
For his part, Magdaleno referred to Donaire as an aging champion whose skills are fading.
As if to prove that they’ve done a great deal of work in training, both Donaire and Magdaleno easily passed the official weigh-in Friday at Encore Theater of Wynn hotel here.
Donaire, who received a sprinkling of applause from the predominantly Filipino crowd, checked in at 121.8 pounds, slightly heavier than Magdaleno’s 121.25.
As in their faceoff on the final press conference Wednesday, the 5-foot-6 Donaire intently looked down on the 5-foot-4 Magdaleno.
Magdaleno, who dyed his hair blonde this week to show his meanness, didn’t back down and gazed back at
Donaire befored heading to the other side of the podium.
Top Rank Inc. chief honcho Bob Arum is certain the bout will end by way of knockout. What he can’t say for sure is who’ll hit the canvas.
Magdaleno, who banks on either his killer right or a fusillade of punches to stop opponents, or Donaire, whose left hook can broke a chin when it lands.