by Ronnie Nathanielsz
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum has indicated that 2012 “Fighter of the Year” Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire may return to the ring in April but if that’s not possible because Donaire is recovering from a fracture in his cheekbone suffered in his 9th round TKO of Vic Darchinyan in their rematch last October he would “definitely be back in May.”
Arum said he had spoken to Donaire’s manager Cameron Dunkin and that the manager had said “possibly April but definitely May and he’ll let me know in about a week.”
He said informed him that the cheekbone was “healing very, very well and it would be great if he can come back in April and I would do his fight on HBO around the time I am doing Manny Pacquiao’s fight” which has been set for April 12 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
Arum said Donaire “wants to fight for a world title and he might fight Nicholas Walters, the WBA champion or Evgeny Gradovich, the IBF champion.”
Walters retained his featherweight title with a 4th round TKO of Alberto Garza on the same Corpus Christi, Texas card where Donaire scored a comeback win when behind on points with a TKO in the 9th round over rugged Darchinyan while the undefeated Gradovich won by a 9th round TKO over another Australian Billy Dib in a rematch in Macau last November 24.
At the same time Arum disclosed that he may stage a WBO/WBA rematch between Brian Viloria who is ranked No. 2 by the WBO and No. 4 by the WBA and Juan Francisco Estrada of Mexico who won the titles from the Filipino in Macau last April 6 by a split decision in a great fight.