FILE–Nonito Donaire celebrates his fourth round KO win against Nordine Oubaali after their WBC World Bantamweight Championship bout at Dignity Health Sports Park on May 29, 2021 in Carson, California. Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images/AFP
MANILA, Philippines—Nonito Donaire is aware that a successful defense of his WBC bantamweight title against interim champion Reymart Gaballo further strengthens his legacy.
A win over Gaballo, however, isn’t his sole focus as collecting all the belts 118 pounds is still the proverbial cherry on top of that cake and a loss on Sunday will never be acceptable.
“I came in to this stage well prepared. Our training camp was tremendous. He’s a nice kid, he’s an undefeated kid, and he’s hungry. For me I am just ready,” said Donaire in an interview with FightHype.com. “ I’m burning all the ships there is no going back without victory.”
“But I have a bigger goal and that is to really become undisputed champion.”
The 39-year-old Donaire (41-6-0) is making his first defense of the WBC title that he wrested away from Nordine Oubaali in May 2021 but he’s always in the discussion to fight WBA, IBF, and Ring Magazine champion Naoya Inoue as well as WBO titleholder John Riel Casimero.
Donaire was supposed to fight Casimero for a unification bout in August but that bout was scrapped due to the latter’s comments about the former’s family.
Inoue and Donaire also fought before in November 2019 with the Japanese superstar taking a unanimous decision to unify the WBA and IBF straps.
Gaballo (24-0) is on his first World title fight with the 25-year-old already getting two separate interim title reigns in his career, the other one being the WBA belt that he got in 2018 after a unanimous decision win over Stephon Young.
“After this [fight, and if I win, the goal] is reaching out to other world champions and getting all those belts,” said Donaire who’s won titles in four weight classes. “I got bigger fish to fry, bigger fish to fish and go after.”