CARSON, California—While Nonito Donaire Jr. is putting his two world titles at stake, his Japanese opponent Toshiaki Nishioka is putting his career on the line.
The 36-year-old fighter from Kakogawa, Hyogo prefecture, said Wednesday that his retirement plan depends on the outcome of the fight this Saturday (Sunday morning in Manila) at Home Depot Center here.
“It’s been a long career,” said Nishioka (39-4-3 with 24 knockouts) after the open media workout at Fortune Gym on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood. “It depends on how I feel after the fight. I was thinking about it (retirement) with (Rafael) Marquez but I was motivated to fight Donaire. After the fight we’ll see.”
He answered questions on how he plans to take down the 29-year-old Filipino holder of the WBO and IBF super bantamweight titles.
“I want to give the fans an exciting fight,” said Nishioka, wearing a black shirt with “Speed King” emblazoned across it. “In that fight against (Jeffrey) Mathebula, he (Donaire) kept coming forward and I learned that he can fight that way also. I want to show everybody that I’m the best in the weight class.”
Nishioka gave up his WBC title last year after successfully defending it against Marquez in October in Las Vegas. But the WBC bestowed him the title emeritus champion last March and is staking its “Diamond Title” for the winner of Saturday’s fight.
He also dismissed the effects on his vaunted speed by his advancing age and a year-long layoff. The southpaw Nishioka expects to counter Donaire’s killer left hook with his left straight.
The Japanese counts one Filipino among his victims: Balweg Bangoyan, whom he felled in the fifth round in April 2010 in Tokyo. Of his four losses, two came at the hands of Thai Veerapol Sahaprom by decision.
Donaire (29-1-0 with 18 KOs) came in an hour later and called attention to himself in a hiphop cap and shirt. His team put up a backdrop bearing his name and triagular Filipino Flash logo.
“I’m going to be smart, I will use my brain and execute my plan and strategy, unlike before when I tried to rely on my power. That’s pretty much it,” said Donaire. “He’s also strong and fast. It will all go down to who has a better strategy come fight night.”
Donaire’s chief trainer Robert Garcia said he’s not worried about his ward.
“He’s very smart inside the ring,” Garcia said. “I’m impressed with what they were doing when I showed up in the training camp for this fight. Putting his punch together, two-three punch combinations instead of using just one power punch.”
The third man in the ring will be Raul Caiz Sr., with Adalaide Byrd from Las Vegas and Californians Tony Crebs and Fritz Werner as judges. Richard de Cuir will be the WBO fight supervisor.