By Ronnie Nathanielsz

WBA super flyweight interim champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire is getting increasingly frustrated at not being able to get a fight against a name opponent even as he has waited for weeks to see a planned rematch with WBC/WBA super flyweight champion Vic Darchinyan finalized.

The failure of promoters Gary Shaw who handles Darchinyan and Bob Arum who handles Donaire to come to terms on a planned August 21 title fight which, according to Shaw was stalled over the international television rights, is hurting Donaire who is also in the pound-for-pound top ten and is regarded as one of the most skilled fighters in the lower weight divisions.

Donaire told us “it is frustrating for me. It is ridiculous how this whole contract is taking forever to finalize. I really don’t know what’s going on.”

Despite the uncertainty Donaire said he is slowly getting into shape while also working out with Dodie Boy Penalosa Jr who turned pro recently. Penalosa is the son of the former two-division world champion Dodie Boy Penalosa who along with brother Jonathan are part of Donaire’s training team headed by Robert Garcia.

Donaire said he believes that Shaw who told us he wasn’t happy with the money being offered by Top Rank for the Philippine TV rights in particular was trying to get Arum to pay more since the title fight would be telecast by the giant broadcast network ABS-CBN under a two-year output  deal with Top Rank.

Donaire had earlier expressed his eagerness to fight either reigning WBC bantamweight champion Hozumi Hasegawa or WBO champion Fernando Montiel who face each other on Friday in Tokyo. He had also expressed keen interest in taking on Jorge Arce, the current WBA bantamweight champion but somehow couldn’t land a fight while Arce faced Cecilio “Boga” Santos who was earlier demolished in four rounds by Filipino southpaw AJ “Bazooka” Banal.

While Donaire lingers without word Darchinyan is set for a tune-up fight against Filipino flyweight Richard Garcia, the reigning Pan Asian Boxing Association champion at the Leagues  Club in Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia on May 20.

The 25 year old Garcia has a record of 21-10-1 with 5 knockouts and is coming off a unanimous twelve round decision loss to South Africa’s Zolani Tete in an IBF flyweight eliminator last  February  26 in Johannesburg.

Prior to the loss Garcia had won six and drawn one in his last seven fights following a 5th round TKO loss to Thailand’s Pornsawan Porpramook on February 14, 2008.