Nonito Donaire vague on Conte split

NEW YORK CITY—Good and bad, Nonito Donaire Jr., can’t deny of distractions going into his fight with Guillermo Rigondeaux.

A few weeks before the fight, his long-time nutrition and condition coach Victor Conte left Team Donaire for reasons neither the reformed peddler of performance-enhancing drugs or the three-division champion bothered to explain.

When asked about it, Donaire said it’s “irrelevant to answer” at this stage and added that he gives “people a choice whether to join Team Donaire or not.”

Still, Donaire thanked Conte’s contribution to his team the past seven fights but added that the knowledge in nutrition and recovery “are all in my head right now.”

It was Conte who sponsored Donaire for a 24/7 testing under Voluntary Anti Doping Association, which gave the Filipino Flash the distinction of becoming the only professional boxer to undergo such rigid test.