By Jake Donovan
It's been nearly two years since Nonito Donaire last fought as a junior featherweight, and a few months longer than that since his last win at the weight. Despite now being on the wrong side of his optimal prime and coming in on the heels of a vicious knockout loss, the 32-year old is pumped for his return to the ring and to a weight class he once proudly ruled.
The former four-division titlist was visibly lean and ripped for his Saturday showcase appearance in Manila, Philippines. Donaire will face William Prado (22-4-1, 15KOs) in a scheduled 12-round bout, for which both fighters checked in at the 122 lb. divisional limit.
Donaire (33-3, 21KOs) hasn't enjoyed the best of times since a four-win 2012 Fighter of the Year-led ring campaign. Following the championship loss to Guillermo Rigondeaux in April '13—just two nights after being honored as Fighter of the Year by the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA)—the Fil-Am star decided it was time to move up the scales.
Concerns were raised in his first fight at the weight. Donaire was forced to rally from behind to score a 9th round knockout of faded Vic Darchinyan, whom he slayed way back in July '07 for the flyweight crown, his first major title win.
Donaire became a titlist in four weight classes last May, outpointing Simpiwe Vetyeka in a bout that ended on a whimper. A clash of heads left Donaire to fight through a cut, which held up just long enough to floor the defending featherweight titlist one round before being declared unfit to continue.
The reign lasted only as long as his next fight, going to war with unbeaten Nicholas Walters. It was a valiant effort, but one which resulted in the lone knockout loss of his career as he was dropped and stopped in six rounds last October.
Since then came the command decision to pick on fighters closer to his own size, moving back down in weight. Donaire returns to junior featherweight, where he claimed four big wins in 2012, including the World lineal championship following his 9th round knockout of the excellent Toshiaki Nishioka.
Donnie Nietes (34-1-4, 20KOs) is recognized in some circles as the lineal junior flyweight champion. That particular crown is viewed as vacant by BoxingScene.com, though does have the 32-year old as the top rated junior flyweight in the world.
At stake in his co-headlining bout on Saturday is an alphabet title, which Nietes defends versus Mexico's Gilberto Parra (19-2, 17KOs).
Both fighters came in at the 108 lb. divisional limit for their title fight. The weigh-in portion of their budding rivarly wasn't without controversy.
According to award-winning reporter and former BoxingScene.com columnist Ryan Songalia, Parra's camp contested the claim that Nietes in fact checked in at the prescribed weight. Songalia noted that Nietes—after staring down Parra, complete with throat-slashing gesture—willingly jumped back on the scale to prove he was on weight and ready for Saturday evening.
Nietes comes in riding a 26-fight unbeaten streak, as he makes the sixth defense of his 108 lb. belt. The reign follows a two-year stay as a strawweight titlist before moving up for good in 2010.
Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox
