FILE – Nonito Donaire of Philippines (L) and Naoya Inoue of Japan fight in their World Boxing Super Series bantamweight final at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama on November 7, 2019. (Photo by Kazuhiro NOGI / AFP)
MANILA, Philippines — Nonito Donaire and his camp are not giving up on the Filipino boxing star’s supposed title shot just yet.
Just less than a week after being forced to withdraw from his bantamweight title bout against Emmanuel Rodriguez due to a positive COVID-19 result, Donaire, with the help of his wife and manager Rachel, had himself undergo a confirmatory test which yielded a negative.
We asked for a confirmatory test to make sure I was positive. They said NO. So I had to pay to get one done. pic.twitter.com/XNPdUvxBq3
— Nonito Donaire (@filipinoflash) December 12, 2020
On my wife's message, NONE were RT PCR. They were all Molecular qualitative naat. Which is the one I retested on to make sure there are no arguments that it was a different type of test. Same type of test.
— Nonito Donaire (@filipinoflash) December 12, 2020
The retest was done after Donaire and his wife raised doubts on the initial positive COVID-19 test.
Donaire’s camp hopes the former four-division champion regains his title shot.
“Can this be rectified RIGHT NOW? Can this fight be saved? Of course, it can. But that is up to the powers that be to stand up for the fighters and what IS RIGHT. Liability befalls those who cannot give 100% justification as to why he was pulled and not given confirmatory tests. Fight cards have been changed due to circumstances ALL the time. Nonito himself took a switch in opponents from Tete to Young 3 days before the fight.
Donaire was originally scheduled to face Puerto Rico’s Rodriguez for the vacant WBC crown on Dec. 19 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut.
But Donaire, after initially testing positive, could reportedly be replaced by another Filipino in Reymart Gaballo (23-0, 20 KOs) in the Showtime main event.
The 38-year-old Donaire (40-6, 26 KOs), who put on an inspiring performance in a loss to Naoya Inoue in November last year, vowed he remains ready to step into the ring against Rodriguez (19-1, 12 KOs).
I sparred 12 rounds today. I'm ready
— Nonito Donaire (@filipinoflash) December 12, 2020