By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire (32-2, 21 KO’s) will train for two months as he chases a fifth world title when he battles WBA featherweight champion Simpiwe Vetyeka (26-2, 16 KO’s) of South Africa at the plush Cotai Arena of the Venetian Resort and Casino in Macau on May 31.
Donaire who arrived yesterday along with wife Rachel and son Jarel was guest on several radio and TV programs of the giant broadcast network ABS-CBN which telecasts his fights, told the BoxingScene.com/Manila Standard over breakfast that Vetyeka has some power but that Darchinyan also had power.
Donaire said he will train at the Elorde Gym in Sucat, Paranaque with his father/trainer Nonito “Dodong” Donaire Sr and hopes to go back to his old style which he said “is going to be incredible.”
He said his father would arrive on April 13 and that he plans “to do video chats with team members such as Mike Bassel” after his 6:00 a.m. run each morning and would probably run at the Alabang Country Club.
Donaire said his father would pick his sparring partners since he knows many potential fighters he could work out with.
He said he had already started light training for the Vetyeka showdown and has watched some of his fights and conceded “one thing that I lack most in training is studying my opponents. I just go there and just kind of wing it.”
Donaire said this is what happened in the Guillermo Rigondeaux fight which he lost by a unanimous twelve round decision at Radio City Music Hall in New York on April 13, 2013.
He said the “only time I studied (an opponent) was when I fought Vic Darchinyan the first time (which he won the IBF/IBO flyweight belts by a spectacular 5th round knockout on July 7, 2007) Fernando Montiel (whom he knocked out in round three to win the WBC bantamweight title ) and Toshiaki NIshioka (whom he beat by an 9th round TKO to win the WBC super bantamweight title on October 13, 2012).
Donaire revealed “I had to really study Nishioka because if I didn’t that straight would have landed and he has a pretty heavy hand. We had to study him and I did. Me and my Dad would study together and we had different conclusions but all in the same type of fight (we needed to fight). That’s what I lacked for many years and now with my Dad its going to be good because we can study that we are together and come up with things together because the more I see the fighter, the more I know the fighter. It will be good to have a different type of approach.”
