Japanese fans in quandary

There is a Nonito Donaire fans club in Japan but with the IBF/WBO superbantamweight champion set to face WBC “emeritus” titleholder Toshiaki Nishioka at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California, on Oct. 13, the members’ loyalties are divided.

Japanese sportswriter Masatoshi Ueda told The STAR in an email the other day that “many Japanese people respect fighters like Nonito who catch their heart no matter where they’re from so in my opinion, although most Japanese will be cheering for Nishioka, it is not that they hate Nonito.”

Ueda confirmed the existence of a Donaire fans club in Japan. “They’re not recruiting members (as) it’s more of Nonito’s fans getting together,” he explained. “The club president is Kazuaki Miyauchi and three or four other fans get together a few times a year but Kazuaki makes stickers and gives (them) out to Nonito’s fans not only in Japan (but also) around the world.”

 Ueda said he expects fans from Japan to travel to the US for the fight, “mostly cheering for Nishioka.” But there will also be a number of Japanese fans flying out to cheer for Donaire, he added. As for the fight, Ueda said it’s a classic match-up. “Nishioka is known as the ‘Speed King,’ a southpaw with a fast and strong left straight,” he said. “Nonito also has a fast and strong left hook. So it is the Filipino Flash against the Speed King and who can land their left hook or left straight first. Both fighters have the ability to knock each other out if their punches land. I don’t think it will be either a hit and run or engage kind of fight. It will probably be more of a tense chess game as both fighters have the speed and power to end the fight in a second.”

Whenever Donaire visits Manila, he tries to squeeze in a side trip to Tokyo to connect with his Japanese fans and close friend Dr. Oasmu Kato who has supported his career for years. Dr. Kato has been ill lately and won’t be able to witness the bout in Carson but his assistants will represent him at ringside.

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Nishioka, 36, is the WBC’s only “emeritus” champion and said he opted for the honorary title to avoid the pressure of beating the deadline for mandatory title defenses. He hasn’t fought since outpointing Mexican Rafael Marquez in Las Vegas last October. “I wasn’t injured or anything,” he explained to Ueda. “After I fought Marquez, I wanted to fight somebody who will motivate me. Donaire is a fighter who is one of the top names in the pound-for-pound list and a figure of the sport. That’s the kind of fighter I want to face. At this point of my career, I didn’t want to just defend my title against anybody. That’s why I gave up my regular title to be the ‘emeritus’ champion so that I wouldn’t be forced to defend the title.”

The long layoff isn’t a cause for Nishioka’s concern. “It doesn’t bother me at all,” he said. “I will fight with all my heart and give everything I have in the ring. It’s a fight you can’t miss with two of the best fighters in the world facing off to be the king of the superbantamweight division.”

Nishioka said he can’t wait to battle Donaire. “I have waited for this fight to happen for a year,” he said. “It is the biggest fight of my career and I’m very excited and can’t wait to face him in the ring. I first met Donaire at the Teiken Gym in Tokyo last summer. Then, in my fight with Marquez in Las Vegas, he took photos at ringside. We also met at a restaurant in California and in the ring after his fight against (Jeffrey) Mathebula. And just as I thought he would be fighting Jorge Arce in his next fight, all of a sudden, I’m the one fighting him.”

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Nishioka said he’s not taking Donaire lightly even as the Filipino wasn’t able to stop his last two opponents since invading the 122-pound class. Donaire floored both Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. and Mathebula once each but couldn’t finish them off to settle for wins by decision. “Donaire has everything what it takes to be one of the best fighters and he may not have won by knockout since moving up to 122 but he’s been winning his fights,” said Nishioka. “That is very impressive. My impression of Donaire hasn’t changed. He’s fast, strong and an all-around fighter. One thing I’m sure of is that it’s going to be an exciting fight. I think that speed will be something to look out for in this fight.”

Donaire, 29, hasn’t lost in his last 28 fights and has a record of 29-1 with 18 KOs. When Nishioka turned pro in 1994, Donaire was only 12 years old. Nishioka’s record is 39-4-3 with 24 KOs. The Japanese has won seven bouts, four by KO, and drew once with Fernando Montilla in eight career fights against a Filipino opponent.