MANILA, Philippines - Sinabi kamakailan ni WBO superbantamweight champion Nonito Donaire, Jr. na plano niyang ubusin ang mga kalaban sa 122-pound division bago umakyat sa featherweight ngunit kung may darating na magandang offer sa kanya, hindi siya magdadalawang isip na umakyat ng weight division.
Sa ngayon, nakatuon si Donaire kay Mexican Jorge Arce, ang boxer na kumuha kay Hall of Fame trainer Nacho Beristain.
Hahamunin ng 33-gulang na si Arce si Donaire sa 12-round title bout sa Toyota Center sa Houston sa Dec. 15.
“I think I can stay in the superbantamweight division as long as I want because I don’t have a problem making 122,” sabi ni Donaire. “The night before the weigh-in for the (Toshiaki) Nishi-oka fight, I was still eating without restriction. Maybe, I’ll stay in the superbantamweight division for another year. But I know there are lucrative fights out there in the heavier classes. For instance, I heard (Orlando) Salido is calling me out. The problem is I don’t think he’ll get past Mikey (Garcia), if they ever fight, and I’ll never fight Mikey because his brother Robert is my trainer and we’re both managed by Cameron (Dunkin).”
Ang 31-gulang na si Salido ay ang WBO featherweight champion na may 39-11-2 record, kabilang ang 27 KOs.
Noong nakaraang taon, dalawang beses siyang napabagsak ni Filipino challenger Weng Haya bago nakarekober at umiskor ng eighth round knockout.
Ang 24-gulang na si Garcia ay may 29-0 record (25 KOs) na posibleng makalaban ni Salido kung tatalunin niya si Jonathan Barros sa Las Vegas nitong weekend.