Donaire risks world titles vs Japanese foe

CARSON, California—A clash of strategies between two of the world’s best ring tacticians will be featured Saturday night (Sunday morning in Manila) when Nonito Donaire Jr., puts his IBF and WBO super bantamweight titles on the line against Japanese Toshiaki Nishioka at Home Depot Center here.

Both brandishing about the same level of speed, power and ring smarts, the 29-year-old Donaire will try to bank on his younger legs against Nishioka, who is coming out of a one-year layoff to challenge the Filipino four-division champion.

“Whoever executes his fight plan better will win, that’s pretty much about it,” said Donaire, who despite his high ranking in the pound-for-pound list, is still in a hunt for an A-list status that he could achieve with a spectacular performance in this HBO-televised fight.

Donaire (29-1-0 with 18 KOs) tipped the scale at 121.6 lb Friday, showing he had no trouble in the weight division where he had already beaten two champions this year. He even posted his picture on Facebook eating chicken wings one day before the official weigh-in.

Nishioka (39-4-3 with 24 KOs) checked in at 121.8 lb.

Aside from Donaire’s titles, the WBC Diamond Belt will also be at stake in the 12-round bout that will have  Raul Caiz Sr. as referee. Judges are Adalaide Byrd of Las Vegas, and Tony Crebs and Fritz Werner of California. Richard de Cuir is WBO ring supervisor.

Donaire failed to knock out his last three opponents—Omar Narvaez, Wilfred Vazquez Jr., and Jeffrey Mathebula—although he beat them impressively.

This time, Donaire promised to forget about his one-punch forays in search of a knockout.

“I’m back to my old self, which is fighting smart, using my brain and following strategy. I can’t rely on power alone,” he said.

His manager, Cameron Dunkin, bared that Donaire is getting $800,000 for the fight, his biggest purse to date.

Nishioka, who received more than $1 million when he successfully defended his WBC version of the 122-lb weight class against Rafael Marquez in October 2011, is reportedly getting a pay cut just to fight.

A reticent 36-year-old who is feared for his left straight, Nishioka refused to make a mandatory defense after beating Marquez  and abandoned his title in pursuit of a fight against Donaire.

“I was basically waiting for Donaire. I’m trying to put up a fight since my last fight. And I started training since Jan. 5,” said Nishioka, who is expected to decide on his future depending on the outcome of the fight.

Donaire developed a friendship with Nishioka and even took pictures of him at ringside when he fought Marquez October of last year.