MANHATTAN BEACH, California – Nonito Donaire Jr. stole a glance at Nicholas Walters who was seated at the other side of the head table in Thursday’s final press conference at Marriott Hotel here.
When it was Donaire’s turn to speak on the microphone, it lasted no more than 30 seconds, and when the two fighters did the traditional staredown, the Filipino boxer hardly uttered a word.
“What I’ve learned in this training (camp) is that what needs to be done, what words need to be said will be said inside the ring,” said Donaire, who’s in for a big test against Walters.
“I usually talk all day about what I’m going to do with this and that,” he said.
Not for this one.
“It’s a very dangerous fight for Donaire,” said Top Rank chief Bob Arum, just a co-promoter for the exciting card at the StubHub Center in Carson on Saturday evening (Sunday noon in Manila).
Gennady Golovkin, the WBA and IBO middleweight champion from Kazakhstan, will defend his titles against Marco Antonio Rubio of Mexico in the main event.
During the press conference, Arum seated on the far left end of the table as the promoters of the main event took centerstage.
Yet, a lot of people think that the Donaire vs Walters matchup could be the fight of the night. Arum said it should be “one of the greatest battles in featherweight championship history.”
The official weigh-in is set Friday noon at the StubHub Center, and Donaire should have no problem making weight. Early this week he was at 130, just four pounds over the limit.
The stakes are high, especially for Donaire, the 2012 Fighter of the Year. A loss to Cuba’s Guillermo Rigondeaux in 2013 left some serious questions on his status.
Donaire struggled in two straight over Vic Darchinyan and Simpiwe Vetyeka after the loss, and in the process won the WBA featherweight crown, his fourth world title in four different weight classes.
On Saturday, Donaire must beat Walters, an undefeated boxer and a knockout artist from Jamaica who may or may not rise as a boxing superstar.
Otherwise, it could mean a lot of things.
“It is a very dangerous fight. Nicholas Walters is a tremendous puncher. He presents a big, big challenge for Nonito but Nonito was up to the challenge and wanted a fighter,” said Arum.
“In boxing it’s never good to lose but that fact that you lose is not a death sentence. So, obviously Nonito would love to win,” added the legendary promoter of Donaire, the slight underdog in this fight.
If Donaire wins, he can look forward to the bigger fights in the 126 lb class, including one against WBO featherweight king Vasily Lomachenko.
Arum said Donaire has extended his contract with Top Rank until the end of 2016, and added that since Donaire and Walters are both under Top Rank, there was no need for a rematch clause on this fight.
Walters, who vowed to score a knockout, didn’t stay long on the microphone as well.
“I’m just very happy to be here. I’m looking for a good fight. I want to make a good impression to my fans. I’m a hundred percent ready for the fight and I will put on a good show,” he said.
“I hope Nonito will come out right as he said so we will be the best fight of the night. And the people can go home and five or six years after they’re still talking about the fight.”
Donaire and Walters are both being trained by their fathers, Joe Walters and Nonito Donaire Sr.
“We’re prepared to give a good show,” said the older Walters.
“Don’t miss it,” said Nonito Sr.