Donaire seeks redemption in rematch vs Darchinyan

CEBU, Philippines - Former three-division world champion Nonito "The Filipino Flash" Donaire (31-2, 20KOs) hopes to regain lost pride and glamour when he battles his one-time victim Vic Darchinyan (39-5-1, 28KOs) in a 10-round featherweight rematch today at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Although no title is at stake, the bout is of paramount importance for the two fighters who are both aiming to resuscitate their sagging careers.

During their previous encounter on July 7, 2007 in Birdgeport, Connecticut, Donaire used a devastating left hook to knock out the then undefeated Darchinyan in the fifth round and snare the IBF and IBO flyweight titles.

That stunning win became Donaire's launching pad to stardom as he went on to beat top-caliber foes in the likes of Fernando Montiel, Oscar Narvaez, Jeffrey Mathebula, Toshiaki Nishioka,  and Jorge Arce.

At the peak of his career and at the height of his invincibility, the unexpected happened.

Donaire suffered his first pro-defeat by unanimous decision and in the process lost his WBO and WBA super bantamweight crowns to the unbeaten Cuban star Guillermo Rigondeaux last April 13 at the Radio City Music Hall in New York.

Instead of calling for a return match with Ridondeaux, the 30-year-old Donaire opted to fight Darchinyan, which some pundits believe is an easy way out for him to revive his career.

Though confident on his chances, Donaire said he is not taking Darchinyan lightly as he knows that he is still a dangerous opponent.

"Vic is a very dangerous opponent and one I can’t overlook. Age does not matter when you have power. It’s hard not to take him seriously," said Donaire in a report by Robert Ecksel of boxing.com.

Donaire, however, said he's determined to reclaim the lofty position he once held in the boxing echelon and that he could attain by reasserting his mastery over Darchinyan.

"The motivation is definitely back. I just realized I want to box. After the loss I realized I want to be in this game as long as I can," said Donaire in an earlier report by Agence France Presse. "I just have to recall how I became a world champion, the process and the desire, and bring all that back into my boxing style. It starts with the mental and being excited for the fight and I'm very excited for this fight."

For Darchinyan, he had lone been waiting for this chance to avenge his painful defeat to Donaire that greatly changed the course of his once decorated career six years ago.

"I have been waiting for this fight for six years,” Darchinyan said. “I trained good for this fight and I am very prepared. I don’t only have power. I have skills and I can’t wait to show the people. It doesn’t matter how old I am."

 Darchinyan may have won his recent two fights, but it was virtually against unknown fighters. Whether or not Father Time has already caught up with him will be known on how he fares against Donaire. (FREEMAN)