By Ronnie Nathanielsz
WBO/IBF super bantamweight champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Nonito Donaire will now face Japan’s classy WBC super champion Toshiaki Nishioka at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California on October 13.
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum had planned to match Donaire against Mexican warrior Jorge “Travieso” Arce on that date but Arce reportedly requested a postponement because he first wanted a tune-up fight although the BoxingScene.com/Manila Standard learned he was asking for too much money to face Donaire.
Arum who is arriving with his wife Lovee in Manila on Wednesday told BoxingScene/ Manila Standard that Donaire “will be fighting on October 13 against (Toshiaki) Nishioka at the Home Depot.”
Arum said “it should be a terrific fight" while the co-feature between undefeated WBA lightweight champion Brandon “ Bam Bam” Rios (30-0-1, 23 KO’s) and rugged undefeated Mike Alvarado (33-0, 23 KO’s) "should be an unbelievable fight.”
Nishioka was at ringside when Donaire won the IBF title with a comfortable twelve round decision over South African champion Jeffrey “Mongoose” Mathebula in the process breaking his jaw in two places resulting in surgery that will keep Mathebula out of the gym for several months.
In fact Nishioka entered the ring and exchanged pleasantries with Donaire. He later told BoxingScene/Manila Standard that he wanted to fight Donaire next.
For his part, Donaire has told us several times that he believes Nishioka is the best fighter in the 122 pound division and indicated he wants to prove himself against the Japanese southpaw.
Donaire noted that Nishioka had “proven himself in this weight class to be the real champion” and “The Filipino Flash” would wish to win another title in his unification quest before moving up to the featherweight division.
Nishioka’s last fight was an impressive twelve round unanimous decision over former champion Rafael Marquez, brother of Mexican legend Juan Manuel Marquez, on October 1, 2011 - but a one year layoff before fighting Donaire doesn’t seem to bother the Japanese boxer.
Nishioka won the interim WBC title with a twelve round unanimous decision over Thailand’s Napapol Sor Rungvisai on September 15, 2008 and the beat Genaro “Poblanito” Garcia by a 12th round TKO on March 1, 2009 to confirm his hold on the title.
He also scored a sensational 3rd round TKO over Mexico’s Jhonny Gonzalez on May 23, 2009 and routed Filipino Balweg Bangoyan by a 5th round TKO on April 30, 2010.
Donaire is best known for his spectacular 5th round “Knockout of the Year” over Australia’s Vic Darchinyan and his 2nd round demolition of WBC/WBO bantamweight champion Fernando Montiel before be moved up in weight to capture the WBO super bantamweight title with a twelve round split decision over Wilfredo Vazquez Jr last February in San Antonio, Texas and then took the IBF title with a comfortable win over Jeffrey Mathebula.