Donaire guarantees victory vs S African

MANILA, Philippines - It won’t be a cakewalk for sure but challenger Nonito Donaire Jr. guaranteed a victory over South Africa’s Simpiwe Vetyeka to wrest the WBA featherweight championship when they face off in a scheduled 12-round bout at the Cotai Arena in the Venetian Resort Macau on Saturday.

“You’ll see a different guy out there from what you saw when I fought (Guillermo) Rigondeaux and Vic (Darchinyan),” said Donaire before leaving Manila for Macau on an early afternoon flight last Saturday. “It’ll be an exciting fight. I don’t feel much pressure. You’ve got to love what you’re doing and I love fighting. You go and execute what you work hard for. I’m prepared to do whatever it takes. I know what Vetyeka can do. I can’t wait to get in the ring. If Vetyeka runs, I’ll go after him. If he comes in, I’m ready for that, too. If he wants to engage, I’ll engage.”

Donaire said he’s in much better shape than when he knocked out Darchinyan in the ninth round in Corpus Christi, Texas, last November. “I’m twice, no three times in better shape,” he said. “I worked with Nick (Curson) on conditioning for about a week. Then he went down with a virus. It’s too bad he won’t be able to go to Macau. But my regular conditioning coach Mike (Bazzel) from the Undisputed Gym will be in my corner. My chiropractor Cameron Fort will also be around. Robert (Garcia) and I have been texting. I expect Robert to be in Macau because his fighter (Evgeny) Gradovich is defending his IBF featherweight title (against Alexander Miskirtchian) on the same card.”

Donaire’s entourage from the US is almost complete in Macau with the arrival of Ben Kelso, Akaan Thomas and Brian Singer who comprise his security detail. His father-in-law Gerry Marcial flies in from Las Vegas the night before the fight. Donaire’s wife Rachel, their nine-month-old son Jarel, mother-in-law Becky and sister-in-law Nicole are now in Macau.

Donaire sparred about 70 rounds in Cebu and Manila to prepare for Vetyeka. His primary sparmate was two-time world title challenger Silvester Lopez. Donaire also went rounds with Cuban Reymi Caballero Aleye in Cebu and Vergel Nebran at the Bebot Elorde Gym in St. Rita Village, Sucat. His father Nonito Sr. supervised the workouts as head trainer.

Elorde was impressed with Donaire’s showing in camp and without hesitation, predicted a win for the Filipino Flash by knockout. “Lopez did a good job,” said Donaire. “I didn’t hold back but my intention was to work rounds in, not to hurt my sparring partners. But I hurt Lopez a few times. The important thing was for me to do my cardio work. I’m fully readjusted with my dad. It wasn’t so smooth against Darchinyan because I just got back working with my dad. I didn’t know whether to box or punch away. It was like an internal debate – my legs wanted to go one way and my hands the other. Now, I’m back on track. I won’t go out there just looking for a knockout. I’ll box, I’ll set up and I’ll read my opponent. But I’ll be as exciting as I was before.”

In Donaire’s final workout here last Friday, he sparred nine rounds and did three more on the mitts. His plan is to wind up hard training today in Macau then taper off.

During his final days of training in Manila, chiropractor Dr. Anton Cancio applied therapy and muscle release on Donaire who complained of a slight right hip strain. The one-hour treatment worked wonders and the pain went away.

“The next day, he did plyometrics, sprinting, mitts and pads and didn’t feel any hip pain, compared to the tenderness he felt before,” said Dr. Cancio. “I saw him again a day later and applied the same management – therapy, muscle release and stretching, spinal adjustment. When he sparred on his last day, the right hip didn’t bother him at all. He did aggravate an old injury in his left elbow but I did therapy and applied Kinesiotape to his elbow for protection and he should be fine for the fight.”

Donaire said he’s eager to resurrect the Donaire who demolished the likes of Jorge Arce, Toshiaki Nishioka, Fernando Montiel, Hernan Marquez and Volodymyr Sydorenko. He’s fought South Africans before, halting Moruti Mthalane and decisioning Jeffrey Mathebula, so he expects nothing new from Vetyeka. Donaire isn’t the first Filipino whom Vetyeka will face. In 2009, Vetyeka scored a unanimous 12-round decision over Eric Barcelona.

Puerto Rico’s Luis Pabon will referee the fight. Pabon has worked over 20 years as a referee and judge with stints in Japan, the UK, Italy, France, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Argentina, Panama, Germany, Switzerland, Colombia, Australia, Mexico, South Africa and the US.  He was the third man in the ring for fights involving Filipinos Bernabe Concepcion twice, Marvin Sonsona, Donnie Nietes, Juanito Rubillar and Rodel Mayol. The judges are Raul Caiz Jr. of California, Levi Martinez of New Mexico and Francisco Martinez of New Zealand. Both Martinezes were judges when Mexico’s Juan Francisco Estrada beat Brian Viloria via a split decision for the WBA/WBO flyweight titles in Macau last year. Levi Martinez was in Manila last November to judge the Nietes-Sammy Gutierrez and Merlito Sabillo-Carlos Buitrago bouts.