By Ronnie Nathanielsz

IBF/IBO flyweight champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Nonito Donaire and former world light flyweight champion Brian Viloria both promised fireworks in  their historic world championship double-header aptly termed “Fast & Furious” at the famed Araneta Coliseum on Sunday, March 22 at 11:00 a.m.

The blockbuster fight  card, one of the biggest in decades at the venue that is expected to relive the glory days of the late world junior lightweight champion Gabriel “Flash” Elorde is a joint promotion of Top Rank and Solar Sports.

In a well-attended news conference and luncheon  at the Manila Hotel on Friday, an added feature was having Top Rank promoter Bob Arum and later Viloria on the line to talk about the fights and to answer questions from boxing writers.

Donaire said this will be his last fight as a flyweight  because he wants to fight at super flyweight or bantamweight against the big names such as WBC/WBA/IBF super flyweight champion Vic Darchinyan and former WBO super flyweight champion Fernando Montiel.

But Donaire made it clear he is not looking beyond undefeated Mexican-American Raul “Cobra” Martinez (24-0, 14 KO’s) whom he described as “a go-ahead aggressive fighter who has both power and speed” although he was confident of successfully defending his world crown in front of his own people.

Viloria who has trained rigorously for almost two months faces a tougher task against IBF light flyweight champion Ulises “Archie” Solis (28-1, 20 KO’s)  who has so far defeated Filipino challengers Rodel Mayol, Bert Batawang and Donaire’s elder brother Glenn Donaire in succession.

Viloria said he is “going to lay everything out in this fight and to bring back the title” and take away Solis’ name as the executioner of Filipinos. Viloria emphasized that fight fans can expect “fireworks”  when he battles Solis.

Viloria who was criticized in the past for his tendency to fade in the championship rounds said he has taken the observations to heart and is determined to re-establish himself as “a pressure fighter”.

Top Rank promoter Arum said he had spoken to Montiel who faces an Argentine fighter Oscar Silva on March 28 and the former world champion who is now fighting as a bantamweight said he is “very, very willing to take on Donaire whether it be in Mexico, the Philippines or the United States” even as Arum expressed confidence “ that fight will happen.”

Asked by Standard Today about a chance to once and for all settle any doubts about his spectacular one punch KO of Darchinyan to win the IBF/IBO flyweight titles on July 7, 2007 Arum said “I don’t know if there is an issue to settle because the last time I saw it Darchinyan was flat on his back and Nonito knocked him out. But don’t worry I will make Gary Shaw  (Darchinyan’s promoter, who was Donaire’s former promoter)  an offer that he cant refuse and we will see a rematch of that fight, believe me.”