By Rey Danseco
FORMER World Boxing Organization (WBO) Asia Pacific flyweight champion Nonito “Filipino Flash” Donaire Jr. takes a step towards becoming another money-making Filipino boxer when he fights in a United States televised bout for a highly regarded regional vacant title of World Boxing Council today.
Donaire, who knocked out eight of his 14 opponents within the initial six rounds, has promised to knockout Manny Pacquiao’s former sparring partner Kahren "Armenian Essence" Harutyunyan in their bout for the vacant North American Boxing Federation (NABF) super flyweight title Friday (Saturday in Manila) at the Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula, California.
In a recent report, Mike Houser of the Carson City-based daily Nevada Appeal named the 23-year old native of General Santos City his “Prospect of the Year”.
"Donaire has incredible hand speed, good power and can make his opponent miss by a half-inch while standing right in front of him. The mega-talented 23-year-old looks like a future world champion," Houser wrote.
Many boxing reporters in the West Coast are also impressed with quick and hard-punching Filipino.
"Donaire is a very aggressive fighter and a very busy one. He has donated a lot of his time to teaching young kids martial arts. He is a great kid and a very slick fighter. I am not sure about his punch yet, but he throws a lot of punches. He is very strong for his weight. You are going to love him," said Jay Heater of the Contra Costa Times.
"Donaire is a quick-fisted fighter with a strong punch," said David Avila of The Riverside Press-Enterprise. "He likes to take them out quick, but if he fails to do that, he settles back into a boxing mode. Right now, he needs experience fighting guys who can take his punch. He relies too heavily on the knockout."
Donaire (13-1, 8 KOs) and Harutyunyan (13-2-3, zero KOs) will not be facing each other for the first time. They used to spar at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood until Donaire campaigned in the Philippines in 2002 and returned to California in the following year and stayed at the Castro Valley, California.
"I know what he is capable of, and he knows what I am capable of. He runs and hooks and wins by points. He is a tricky fighter who likes to hold, but I have him figured out and have a game plan for him,” said Donaire, who is also promoted by Pacquiao’s new promoter Gary Shaw Productions, LLC. "He is not a scary fighter, so if I am at my best, which I will be, I should knock Harutyunyan out."
Donaire is coming off ina lopsided eight-round decision win over former International Boxing Organization (IBO) super flyweight champion Llido Julio of Colombia on Nov. 5, 2005, in Stateline, Nev. Donaire floored Julio twice in the eighth round en route to winning 79-70 on all the scorecards.
Donaire is trained by his father Nonito Sr. for the bout in Oxnard, California along with former two-time world champion Fernando "Ferocious" Vargas, who is preparing for a WBA light middle title eliminator against Shane Mosley on Feb. 25 at Mandalaya Bay Resort in Las Vegas.
Harutyunyan, native of Yerevan, Armenia, is a senior English major at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) and reigning North American Boxing Organization (NABO) junior bantamweight titleholder, is a protégé of Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach.
