Not to worry, Nonito “Filipino Flash” Donaire is in town, as promised, and in the thick of training, aiming for a spectacular victory against the fabulous Noaya Inoue (18-0- 16 KOs) on Nov. 7 in Saitama, Japan.
This was detailed by the reliable veteran sports journalist Joaquin Henson, who said Donaire has a new big weapon which he promises to wield and unleash on fight night.
Reminder to Inoue: he would do well to reconsider his announced plan to box and fight it out for 12 rounds.
In fact, Donaire, 40-5, 26 KOs, feels Inoue’s shift from his original full-attack mode would not work.
“Offense is go-to thing,” Donaire said, swearing he doesn’t expect Inoue, called the Monster, to wholly deviate from his fierce swarming style, anchored on ferocious combinations to the body.
Donaire, 36, said he would fight smart. “That’s my edge. My experience will carry me through.”
Donaire has been listed as the underdog in his fight against the smaller Inoue in the Bantamweight Final of the World Boxing Super Series (WPSS). Donaire is the WBA super bantamweight champion, Inoue the regular WBA and IBF titlist.
The favored Inoue, 26, is being hailed as a pound-for-pound star, mainly in his country.
Anyway, what has made the World Boxing Super Series (WPSS) bantamweight final doubly intriguing was the claim by the 37-year-old Donaire that he’s not exactly worried about Inoue.
Based on their respective records and previous fights, Donaire should be gearing for a solid defense, the unbeaten Japanese star having established himself as a merciless body crusher.
Noting Inoue to be a poor defender, Donaire has vowed to check in loaded, and throw killer blows early, all night long.
Indeed, Donaire is bigger, more experienced; Onoue’s plan to push the fight to the later rounds could only mean he would ride on youth and toughness, not to mention deeper stamina, against the older Donaire.
In 2012, a younger Donaire breezed through three smaller opponents, who included the flamboyant Jorge Arce and Fernando Montiel, to make it as that period’s Fighter of the Year.
Donaire had suffered jarring defeats against the bigger and stronger Niolas Walters, the Jamaican Axeman, and the sleek and slippery Cuban immigrant Guillermo Rigondeaux.
Inoue is unbeaten, but this is the first time he will meet a battle-tested technical veteran like Donaire.
Brace for a full-scale battle.