BOXING researcher Teddy Reynoso was so bothered when he learned that a Nonito Donaire Jr.-Jorge Arce fight had been slated for Dec. 15, barely two months after Nonito’s last fight with Toshiaki Nishioka of Japan and even before his bloodied knuckles have time to fully heal.
“It’s ridiculous how the multi-division Filipino Flash has been groveling for a fight against ex-champ Arce,” he said.
“While Arce is a certified ring-pleaser and crowd-drawer, he has been beaten among others by Vic Darchinyan, who was knocked out by Nonito years ago when he was just starting to be recognized here in his country, and by Christian Mijares, who in turn had been knocked out by Darchinyan.”
“Mijares defeated Arce by unanimous decision, the numbers lopsidedly in favor of Mijares.”
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Teddy said Nonito should act like the top man of the 122-lb category and not like a beggar who’s running after a damaged foe like Arce “because that’s what he is—a has-been crowd-drawer who’s now damaged goods.”
Based on the most recent ring surveys, the boxing researcher said Nonito should be angling for a fight with the winner of the Abner Mares-Anselmo Moreno match, or with Cuban ace Guillermo Rigondeaux, “to fully establish himself.”
In fairness to Nonito, I remember he mentioned three names that he must “pass” before he can move up to a higher weight division. Two of the names were Mares and Rigondeaux. I don’t recall the name of the third. It could have been Moreno.
By “pass,” Nonito meant that will have to fight the three—and beat them.
Also, it wasn’t Nonito who sought out this fight with Arce. Nonito himself announced in a presscon during his recent visit to Manila to promote his Visayan movie, that it was Top Rank promoter Bob Arum who had arranged this fight—his fourth this year.
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Because this fight is too close to Nonito’s last bout versus Nishioka and because his badly injured knuckles are not expected to be fully healed and fight-ready by Dec. 15, Donaire promoter Bob Arum has been getting the flak.
In a press conference in the US, Arum explained that he had to set this fight with Arce in mid-December because he was aiming for the Fighter of the Year award for Nonito.
The recipient of the coveted award will be chosen by the Boxing Writers Association of America.
That is why Nonito has to dish out a sterling victory over Arce, Arum said.