Filipino Flash arrives today

MANILA, Philippines - Newly crowned WBC/WBO bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire Jr. arrives this morning on a Philippine Airlines flight from Los Angeles and will stay at least three weeks before returning to the US to prepare for his next fight, possibly a unification showdown with WBA “super” 118-pound titlist Anselmo Moreno of Panama in Oakland on May 28.

While Moreno has been mentioned by Top Rank chairman Bob Arum as Donaire’s next likely opponent, no contract has been signed at the moment. Promoter Gary Shaw is reportedly pushing for Moreno to face Venezuelan Lorenzo Parra before Donaire. Moreno was scheduled to face Parra in a WBA title defense until news leaked of a possible big-money duel with Donaire.

Top Rank’s contract with Donaire will end in a few months and there is talk that Golden Boy Promotions will make a bid to sign up the Filipino Flash who earned $350,000 for his second round demolition of Fernando Montiel in Las Vegas last month. A new contract will no doubt mean a hefty signing bonus particularly as Donaire is now ranked No. 3 in the world pound-for-pound ratings behind Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Donaire has repeatedly said he will fight whomever Arum and his manager Cameron Dunkin choose as his opponent.

Donaire, 28, has been deluged by requests for media interviews in the Bay Area since his victory over Montiel, a future Hall of Famer and one of only a handful of Mexicans to win three world titles in different divisions. Last Saturday, Donaire was at ringside taking photographs of the Saul Alvarez-Matthew Hilton bout for the vacant WBC superwelterweight title at Anaheim. Donaire is now hooked to photography.

At the Manila Hotel last Saturday, Donaire was represented by his mother-in-law Becky Marcial and sister-in-law Nicole in accepting a major award from the PSA for professional boxing. Donaire sent a video expressing regrets for his absence and gratitude for the honor. Earlier that day, Donaire and wife Rachel were reconciled with the fighter’s father Nonito Sr. after a 2 1/2-year estrangement. The reconciliation was announced on stage as Donaire’s award was presented.

Tris Dixon, editor of the London weekly publication Boxing News, reported that Donaire’s contract with Top Rank expires in May. “Whether he stays with Top Rank or goes Golden, he has attractive options,” wrote Dixon. “The Filipino Flash could be boxing’s next big star and has had his eye on featherweight king and Top Rank stablemate Juan Manuel Lopez for sometime. Top Rank has big fights for Donaire – they also have Yuriokis Gamboa – but Nonito wants to unify the belts at bantamweight. To do that, he would have to face the Abner Mares-Joseph Agbeko winner (on April 23) and Golden Boy – who is at serious odds with Top Rank – promotes Mares. His next move will probably be made after the bantamweight tournament (involving Mares and Agbeko) concludes.”

Donaire was hailed by several boxing greats for his one-sided destruction of Montiel. Former world champion Roy Jones said, “God had blessed this kid with wonderful talent ... he became whom God meant for him to be.” Mexican legends Marco Antonio Barrera and Julio Cesar Chavez, commenting on the fight for HBO Latino, said Donaire put on “an amazing performance” and heaped superlatives on the Filipino Flash.

Writer Robert Mladinich quoted Donaire as saying he never hit anyone as hard in dumping Montiel. “God has a plan and I have faith in God’s plan,” said Donaire, quoted by Mladinich. “I’m a monster, man. I’ve never felt so much confidence as I did. The (Vic) Darchinyan punch was pretty sweet but this was the hardest punch of my career. I was so surprised he got up. I put everything behind that punch. It was the hardest one I threw in my life.”