Donaire Eyes Montiel or Arce, No Darchinyan Interest
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire is eyeing either Fernando Montiel or Jorge Arce and shows no interest in facing Vic Darchinyan in a rematch following Darchinyan’s loss to Ghana’s Joseph Agbeko in Sunrise, Florida last Saturday night.
Donaire told BoxingScene.com, insidesports.ph, Standard Today and Viva Sports that a rematch with the cocky Darchinyan over whom he scored a stunning one-punch, fifth round knockout on July 7, 2007 “is not a thing anymore” after Darchinyan’s loss to Agbeko in a bantamweight title fight.
Donaire said “I have always looked towards Arce and Montiel because they are the guys that can take me” indicating that he was too smart and hit too hard for Darchinyan.
Donaire who is currently training at the Undisputed Gym in San Carlos, California said he would continue to train at the same gym until two weeks before the fight when he would leave and continue training in Las Vegas .
Donaire battles Panama ’s Rafael “El Torito” Concepcion on August 22 at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas . Concepcion ’s biggest achievement so far was his 10th round stoppage of the highly touted AJ “Bazooka” Banal in a WBA super flyweight interim title fight in Cebu last year.
Donaire said he was bringing in a new sparring partner this week, identified as bantamweight David Martinez who he said was a friend from their amateur days and is “a tough guy who can box as well.”
The former IBF/IBO flyweight champion who has relinquished his titles to move up to super flyweight said he is “feeling really good so far” and although he is not one hundred percent, pointed out that he still has four weeks to go in training camp.
Donaire said his training strategy is not built around too much sparring but mainly on “going a few rounds but mostly build on physical strength and endurance.” Donaire said he weighed 124 pounds after his well-attend press-public preview last Saturday.
Talking about Joseph Agbeko’s victory over Darchinyan, Donaire said “it wasn’t a pretty fight and was rough but Agbeko really boxed beautifully. Overall, if he gets somebody who is smart and can think in there and avoid that big punch - Darchinyan can’t win."
