Korona itataya ni Donaire vs Marquez

MANILA, Philippines - Hindi ikinaila ni World Boxing Association (WBA) interim super flyweight cham­pion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire, Jr. ang kanyang planong umakyat ng weight division.

“I’m definitely growing. I mean, I think that I should be fighting at 122 pounds (super bantamweight),” ani Donaire sa panayam ng Fanhouse.com. “It’s getting ridiculous for me to be dropping down to 115 pounds.”

Nakatakdang itaya ni Donaire ang kanyang WBA interim super flyweight crown laban kay Her­nan “Tyson” Marquez sa Linggo sa Coliseo Jose Miguel Agrelot sa Hato Rey, Puerto Rico.

Kasalukuyang ibinabandera ng 27-anyos na si Donaire ang 23-1-0 win-loss-draw ring record ka­sama ang 15 KOs, samantalang bitbit naman ng 21-anyos na si Marquez ang 27-1-0 (20 KOs) slate.

Kung mananalo si Do­naire kay Marquez, maaari niyang hamunin ang 31-an­yos na si World Boxing Organization (WBO) bantamweight titlist Fernando Montiel (41-2-2, 31 KOs) ng Mexico.

Ngunit kailangan ring talunin ni Montiel ang 34-anyos na si Eric Morel (42-2, 21 KOs) sa Hulyo 17 sa Tuxtla Gutierrez, Mexico.

“I made it clear that this fight against Marquez is the very last time that I will reach 115, and then, I’m going up to 118 pounds. And if I get a title shot at 118, I might stay there for maybe one fight. And then, I want to move up to 122. If I was to beat Montiel, and then, there was a good offer on the table at 118, then, you know what? I might stay at 118 for maybe for one more fight,” ani Donaire.

Sa isa pang laban, hangad naman ni Filipino challenger Bernabe Concepcion (28-3-1, 15 KOs) na maagaw kay Puerto Rican Juan Manuel “Juanma” Lopez (28-0-0, 25 KOs) ang suot nitong WBO featherweight belt.

“I know that I have to be at my best to defeat Lopez and I will be. If people think he looked good at 126 pounds, I will too,” ani Concepcion. “There are no secrets here between us, he is coming to fight and so I am I. This one will be a war.”

Nasa undercard naman ang laban ni Eden Sonsona kay Jonathan Oquendo.