Nonito Donaire confident of beating Zolani Tete

MANILA, Philippines — WBA bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire, Jr. said yesterday he’ll do what it takes to take down IBF titlist Zolani Tete in their scheduled 12-round bout at the Cajun Dome in Lafayette, Louisiana on April 27 and with former US Olympic coach Kenny Adams in his corner, a fool-proof fight plan is being laid out to counter whatever the South African brings to the ring.

The winner of the bout advances to face the survivor of the May 18 duel between WBA “regular” ruler Naoya Inoue of Japan and IBF beltholder Emmanuel Rodriguez of Puerto Rico in the final of the World Boxing Super Series (WBSS) unification process in the 118-pound division.

Donaire, 36, said he’s not looking past Tete, 31. “I’ve got a lot of respect for Tete,” he said in an overseas phone call from his Las Vegas home. “He’s a smart boxer, rangy and strong. In our mid-week training, Kenny and I sit down to discuss strategy, what to do anticipating Tete’s moves. The plan is to break him down and figure him out as the fight goes on. I can be aggressive and crowd him or I can box from a distance. He has length and that’s something we want to neutralize.”

Tete has a 72-inch wingspan compared to Donaire’s 68. He’s 5-9, slightly taller than the 5-7 1/2 Donaire. Experience is on Donaire’s side as he totes a record of 39-5, with 25 KOs. Tete’s record is 28-3, with 21 KOs. Their only common opponent is South Africa’s Moruti Mthalane who stopped Tete in the fifth round in 2010 and lost to Donaire by stoppage in the sixth in 2008. Tete has claimed five Filipino victims – Arthur Villanueva, Jether Oliva and Richard Garcia by decision and Rexon Flores and Eduard Penerio, both by a first round KO. Tete has scored 12 first round KOs, six in his first seven outings and two of his last seven abbreviated wins.

Donaire said he’s been training since two weeks after dethroning Ryan Burnett for the “super” WBA crown in Glasgow last November. “I stayed in the gym even through the holidays because when I signed for the WBSS tournament, I had be ready, not knowing when the first semis would start so I stayed healthy, fit and ready,” he said. “When we knew we were fighting Tete, we looked for southpaws who were tall and lengthy and we got the best ones to spar with. I came into camp already in shape so I’ve just been getting faster and stronger and implementing gameplans.”

Last Saturday, Donaire sparred eight rounds and said he’ll move up to 10 next week. “I don’t think I’ll spar 12 rounds,” he said. “I’m fine with 10. I know I’ll be strong in the last four rounds if the fight goes the distance. Right now, I’m walking around at 128 to 130 pounds, exactly where I want to be at this stage. Tete and I were both on weight 30 days before the fight. We plan to move to Louisiana a week before the fight and I’ll work towards making 118 in time for the weigh-in.”

Donaire said Tete isn’t quite like another southpaw whom he has halted twice, former IBF flyweight champion Vic Darchinyan. “They’ve got different styles,” he said. “Darchinyan isn’t like Tete at all. Moruti’s shorter than Tete whom I think is probably just as tall as (Jeffrey) Mathebula (whom Donaire beat on points in 2012). If Tete’s not as fast as we think he can be, I could box him. A lot of what I’ll do depends on his speed. I think we’ve got all the bases covered with Kenny. We’re looking at his speed, length, distance and power. We know he’s smart so we have to be smarter than him.”