Donaire makes Big Apple return vs Vasquez

MANILA, Philippines—Nonito Donaire Jr., the reigning WBO and WBC bantamweight champion, is set to face Puerto Rican former champion Wilfredo Vazquez at the Theatre of the Madison Square Garden early next year.

Top Rank boss Bob Arum was quoted in Internet reports as saying he’s reserving a date in February for the Donaire-Vazquez affair at the same venue where the Filipino champ won an uneventful shutout win over a reluctant Omar Narvaez of Argentina last Oct. 22.

Donaire started his workout in Las Vegas last Wednesday in preparation for his first fight in the super bantamweight division. Vazquez is a former WBO super bantam titlist who lost his crown to Mexican Jorge Arce last May.

Arce, who has been touted as a future Donaire foe, has since moved down from 122 lb to 118 during his recent fight against Indonesian Angky Angkotta in his hometown of Sinaloa, Mexico. Arce won by unanimous decision.

If plans push through, Donaire may fight at least four times next year to make up for a virtual inactivity last year which began with a sensational second round knockout win over Fernando Montiel.

Vazquez, who stands 5-foot-5½, floored the 5-foot-4 Arce in the fourth round of their fight in Las Vegas only to see the Mexican rally in the latter rounds and score the TKO win.

The 27-year-old Vazquez is 21-1-1 with 18 stoppages.