By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire Jr. believes former WBA bantamweight champion Wladimir Sidorenko is putting himself in “Harm’s Way,” which is the title of the Top Rank Promotion fight card at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, and will be knocked out.
The 28-year-old Donaire, who weighed in a 118 pounds to Sidorenko’s 117.6, believes he has enough power and ring savvy to become the first fighter to knock the 34-year-old Ukrainian out later tonight.
Donaire, who arrived in Anaheim on Thursday together with trainer and former IBF world champion Robert Garcia told BoxingScene.com's Lem Satterfield: “No one has knocked this guy out and I want to do it.”
A former Olympian, Sidorenko has a record of 22-2-2 with seven knockouts and is clearly more of a boxer than a puncher.
A bronze medalist at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, Sidorenko beat Daniel Ponce De Leon, who later became world super bantamweight champion, and Argentina’s Omar Narvaez, who became WBO flyweight champion after turning professional.
Sidorenko lost in the semifinals to eventual gold medal winner Wijan Ponlid of Thailand.
Donaire has the tools and the power to stop Sidorenko as can be gleaned from his impressive record of 24-1 with 16 knockouts.
Ranked among the top five pound-for-pound fighters in the world by Ring Magazine, Donaire is best remembered for his spectacular fifth round, one punch TKO of cocky Vic Drachinyan to win the IBF/IBO flyweight titles on July 7, 2007.
It was later acclaimed as the “Knockout of the Year.”
Finally given the opportunity to headline a pay-per-view card, Donaire is looking ahead at an eagerly awaited showdown against WBC/WBO bantamweight champion Fernando Montiel in February.
Inspired by the thought of a big fight, Donaire has trained hard at the Undisputed Gym in San Carlos City, California, and has said he wants to send a message to Montiel by “taking Sidorenko out just like I did when I knocked out Darchinyan.”
In the co-main event WBC lightweight champion Humberto Soto will defend his title against Urbano Antillon, who helped pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao prepare for his WBO welterweight title fight against Miguel Cotto in November.
ABS-CBN will telecast the fight card on Channel 2 at 10 a.m. today with a replay at 2 p.m. over Studio 23.
