By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire wants to solidify his position as No. 4 in the Ring Magazine pound-for-pound list by beating WBC/WBO bantamweight champion Fernando Montiel in a title showdown scheduled for February but knows he first has to overcome former WBA bantamweight champion Volodymyr “Wladimir” Sidorenko at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California on December 4.
Donaire told BoxingScene.com/Inquirer that he has sparred twelve rounds twice this past week and is “feeling really good” especially since trainer Roberto Garcia who handled Antonio Margarito’s preparation for his WBC light middleweight title fight against pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao last November 13 joined his training camp right after the Dallas bout. He said Jonathan Penalosa, brother of two division world champions Gerry and Dodie Boy Penalosa was also helping him train for the Sidorenko fight.
Donaire said he was in “terribly good physical condition and mentally well prepared.”
Donaire promised “you will see a different fighter coming in to this fight.” At the same time the former IBF/IBO flyweight champion and WBA super flyweight interim champion said “of course I am not underestimating my opponent.”
At a well-attended media day at the Undisputed Gym in San Carlos, California the skilled fighter considered by many as a possible successor to Pacquiao said that he wanted to make a statement that he had “never really been motivated” but with Montiel on the horizon he is “motivated because this is where I want to be. I want to send a message to Montiel but I won’t take Sidorenko lightly.”
Donaire who currently weighs 128 pounds or ten pounds over the bantamweight limit said “to be honest I haven’t studied any tapes of my opponent as yet” but said he is hoping to win and then face Mexico’s Fernando Montiel for the WBC/WBO bantamweight titles.
The 28 year old Donaire who has a record of 24-1 with 16 knockouts is coming off an 8th round TKO over Hernan “Tyson” Marquez last July 10 in defense of his WBA interim super flyweight title which he won by a twelve round unanimous decision over Rafael Concepcion who failed to make the weight in their fight on August 15, 2009.
Donaire also scored a 3rd round knockout over title challenger Manuel “Chango” Vargas at te Las Vegas Hilton on February 13, 2010 but his most notable win so far has been the 5th round TKO over Australia’s Vic Darchinyan to win the IBF/IBO flyweight titles on July 7, 2007.
The 34 year old Sidorenko from the Ukraine is a former Olympian and has a record of 22-2-2 with 7 knockouts. He is coming off a twelve round unanimous decision against “African Golden Boy” Mbwana Matumla to win the WBC International silver super flyweight belt last August 28. Sidorenko previously won the WBA bantamweight interim title with a points decision over Julio Zarate on February 26, 2005.
Sidorenko lost the title in his seventh defense against Anselmo Moreno on May 31, 2008 and was beaten in a rematch by a split decision.
