By Ronnie Nathanielsz
IBF/IBO flyweight champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire (20-1, 13 KO’s)and former WBC light flyweight champion Brian Viloria (24-2, 14 KO’s) are ready for war in “The Flash and The Furious” fight card at the famed Araneta Coliseum on Saturday.
But their opponents, undefeated Raul “Cobra” Martinez (24-0, 14 KO’s) of San Antonio , Texas and Mexico ’s IBF light flyweight champion Ulises Solis (28-1-2, 20 KO’s) are equally determined to wage war and by the looks of it, could give Donaire and Viloria a really rough time.
Donaire and Viloria worked out for around two hours at the “Punch Out” gym in Makati City on Tuesday morning while Martinez arrived shortly after noon and had a comparatively light workout which included shadow boxing, skipping rope, battering the heavy bag and honing his reflexes on the double-end bag. Solis jogged around the Rizal Park in the morning and didn’t show up at the gym.
Donaire went eleven rounds on the punch-mitts until former two-division world champion Dodie Boy Penalosa quit. Donaire showed incredible hand-speed and whipped off six-seven punches in a row, accentuated by a stinging left hook.
Having recently watched some videos of the late, great Gabriel “Flash” Elorde at dinner in our home, Donaire who was awed by Elorde’s classic style duplicated some of his moves when working with Penalosa, slipping easily into a southpaw stance, throwing combinations and moving in a style reminiscent of the former world junior lightweight champion and Hall-of-Famer.
Donaire said what he picked up from watching the Elorde tape “that’s my secret. Its another technique, another style in my arsenal.”
Donaire said his speed would make the difference and his four months of training would help him. He weighed four pounds over the 112 pound limit but that’s where he wanted to be at this stage in his preparation although Martinez after his workout checked in at 111 ½ pounds, unofficially.
Responding to a statement by Martinez that he won’t leave the decision up to the judges, Donaire flashed back “I don’t see it either. I don’t like going to decisions . If it must go that way so be it but I try not to.”
Donaire said “I am confident in my ability, he is confident in his ability. That’s fine. May the best man win. But I know that my title is going to stay where it is.”
A confident Viloria realizes that this is probably his last chance to regain the world title has trained some three months which in his words translated into “being in the best shape I’ve ever been in my career.” Viloria acknowledged that Solis is one of the best light flyweights in the world and promised “it will be a war. I know that.”
He said his game-plan is “to be aggressive” and to bring back the old time Viloria. At the same time Viloria said he was prepared to go twelve rounds if he had to saying “I have no worries about my stamina. Its just me being smart in the ring, being aggressive and taking the fight to him.”
Viloria said he believes he has “all the tools to win this fight. I have the speed, I have the power, I have the aggressiveness, I have the smarts and the focus. For the past year and a half I had to crawl my way back to the top and that made me a hungrier fighter. Now it’s a big test for me and I am so excited about this fight.
Martinez said he had a light workout “because all my hard work has been done already. I feel a little tired because my body is getting used to the time difference but I’ll be ready for the fight” although the humidity which was “ten times worse than in San Antonio”.
Asked what kind of a fight he was looking forward to, Martinez jokingly answered “I am looking forward to an easy fight but I know its not going to be. Nonito is a great champion and I know he’s a tough fighter so I expect a war and I’m ready for that.”
Martinez whose left hook smashed into the heavy bag said “that’s one of my signature punches but at the same time I have everything. Don’t think its just my left hook.”