Manila, Philippines - Nonito Donaire is no longer the small guy that packs a big punch.
For the defense of his WBO super-bantamweight title against South African Jeffrey Mathebula on July 7 in California, Donaire should be in his biggest physique ever.
The 29-year-old Filipino is a graduate of the flyweight, super-flyweight and bantamweight divisions, of which he became world champion, and it’s time to beef up.
“My last fight at 122 pounds I was pretty small, I was walking at 128 pounds. For this fight I had been walking at 133 to 138 pounds, which is a big difference,” said Donaire.
The boxer who wants to unify the super-bantamweight titles graced a conference call yesterday with his promoter Bob Arum, trainer Robert Garcia and manager Cameron Dunkin.
Besides, there’s a need for Donaire to bulk up for this fight.
Donaire has never faced a boxer as tall as Mathebula, who stands a shade over 5’10” and should be more than a couple of inches longer in reach.
Donaire likened Mathebula, who just turned 33 last week and sports a 26-3-2 record with 14 KOs, to Celestino Caballero, the former king of the 122 lb class.
Caballero outpointed Mathebula in a defense of his WBA and IBF super-bantamweight titles at the Roberto Duran Arena in Panama in March 2009.
Also in March 2009, Donaire knocked out Mexican-American Raul Martinez in the fourth round, and keep his IBF and IBO flyweight titles at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“Mathebula is tall, like Caballero. We took this fight because of the challenge. For the first time, I will be the smaller boxer inside the ring,” Donaire told Pinoy scribes recently.
Donaire stands 5’7” and when he climbs the ring at the Home Depot Center in Carson to face Mathebula, it’s almost like watching Manny Pacquiao vs Oscar dela Hoya.
There’s going to be a big difference in size.
Yet, Donaire is unfazed, and in fact is eyeing an impressive victory that should set him up to the bigger fights against Guillermo Rigondeaux, Toshiaki Nishioka or Jorge Arce.
“Those who follow boxing know that the 122-pound division is chock-full of superstars. We have a long list of guys who will be making tremendous fights,” said Arum.
Donaire is itching at the bigger fights ahead, but first he has to get past Mathebula.
“We’ll have a great fight on July 7. Mathebula is a great champion and he’s going to try and come in and surprise us and surprise the world,” said Donaire’s trainer.
“Mathebula is a very tough fighter. He is a tall guy, the tallest fighter I will have faced and I know Cameron is nervous about it. But he’s always nervous.
“But I told Cameron I wanted this fight. I knew this guy would motivate me and he made me train as hard as I did. I don’t know what to expect because he is so tall,” said Donaire, 28-1 with 18 KOs.
A lot of people expect Donaire to win.