Kampo ni Rigondeaux minaliit si Donaire

MANILA, Philippines - Bago siya umakyat sa featherweight division ay dapat muna niyang labanan si Cuban world super bantamweight titlist Guillermo Rigondeaux ng Cuba.

Ito ang sinabi ni DJ Mon­tanocordoba, ang strength and conditiong coach ni Rigondeaux kay unified world super bantamweight champion Nonito ‘The Filipino Flash’ Donaire, Jr.

“If Nonito decides to move-up a division, I can respect  that but, he has to defeat Rigondeaux to say he’s cleaned out the 122-pound division, and I believe he is not capable of beating Rigondeaux. The only way they can prove who is better is by fighting in the ring,” ani Montanocor­doba.

Matapos ang apat na sunod na panalo sa 2012, wala pang opisyal na pahayag si Bob Arum ng Top Rank Promotions kung sino ang susunod na makakatapat ng 30-anyos na si Donaire sa 2013.

Ayon pa kay Montanocordoba, masasabi lamang ni Donaire (31-1-0, 20 KOs) na dominado niya ang super bantamweight division kapag tinalo na niya si Rigondeuax (11-0, 8 KOs).

“If Nonito doesn’t fight Rigeondeaux, no problem, I can’t disrespect him for that, but he can’t go around saying he’s cleaned-up the division without taking Rigondeaux’ title,”  ani  Montanocordoba kay Donaire, ang kasalukuyang super bantamweight king ng World Boxing Organization at International Boxing Federation.

Sina Donaire at Rigondeaux, isang two-time Olympic Games gold me­dalist para sa Cuba at ang naghahari sa WBA super bantamweight class, ay parehong nasa Top Rank Promotions.

Maliban kay Rigondeaux, ang isa pang posibleng makaharap ni Donaire ay si Abner Mares (25-0-1, 13 KOs), ang super bantamweight ruler ng World Boxing Council at nasa kam­po ng Golden Boy Pro­motions.

Dahil sa kanyang apat na sunod na panalo sa 2012 kontra kina Wilfredo Vazquez, Jr. ng Puerto Rico, Jeffrey Mathebula ng South Africa, Toshiaki Nishioka ng Japan at Jorge Arce ng Mexico, hinirang si Donaire ng ESPN.com at RingTV.com bilang 2012 Fighter of the Year.