By Ryan Maquiñana

Nonito Donaire has enrolled in the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) program and will be the first professional boxer to engage in year-round drug testing, according to his nutritionist and consultant, Victor Conte.

"When VADA was conceived, this was the ultimate goal," Conte told BoxingScene.com Monday afternoon.  "Whether Nonito has a fight or doesn't have a fight, he wants to go above and beyond anything Floyd Mayweather has done as far as drug testing goes.  This is going to be true Olympic-style 365/24/7 drug testing."

Donaire, a junior featherweight titleholder, fights on July 7 against Jeffrey Mathebula in a unification bout.  Due to scheduling conflicts, he will begin the program as early as July 8, the day after the bout.  Conte delved into the particulars surrounding drug testing for any of Donaire's future opponents as well.

"They will be politely offered a sponsorship eight weeks out so they will have the same opportunity as Nonito to show they have nothing to hide," Conte added.  "It will have the highest standard of testing available. If they don't want the testing, the media will get to say what they think about that."

According to Conte, Donaire was willing to volunteer for the opportunity to do the program.

"When it came to who would step up and do this, Nonito doesn't ask people; he tells people," Conte said.  "That's what he's about.  He's a leader.  He's going to make history here and help save boxing."

Whether this development will entail involvement from Donaire's promoter, Top Rank, remains to be seen.  Conte and Donaire were scheduled to join this writer on Comcast SportsNet Bay Area's "Chronicle Live" talk show Monday afternoon.

Ryan Maquiñana writes a weekly boxing column for CSNBayArea.com.  He is a full member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and the Ratings Panel for Ring Magazine. E-mail him at rmaquinana@gmail.com, check out his blog at Norcalboxing.net, or follow him on Twitter: @RMaq28.