By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Five division world champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” has sparred ten rounds without a sweat against Cameron Dunkin’s southpaw fighter Manuel Flores and Filipino Joebert Alvarez and told The Manila Standard “it was amazing. I feel great.”
Donaire, who is now being trained by Cuban mentor Ismael Salas, told us the coach who trained unbeaten Guillermo Rigondeaux among others had taught him to minimize unnecessary movement and to maximize what he does in the ring.
Donaire had previously sparred eight rounds with former WBA bantamweight champion Koki Kameda of Japan and felt good. He said he was physically and mentally prepared for his WBO super bantamweight title defense against unbeaten 24 year old southpaw Jessie Magdaleno at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas on November 5, alongside the WBO welterweight title bout between eight division world champion Manny Pacquiao and champion Jessie Vargas.
Vargas who has a record of 23-0 with 17 knockouts has expressed confidence he will beat Donaire and believes he has spotted some weaknesses in Nonito.
However, Donaire said that trainer Salas was “very smart, very intelligent and maximizes my ability to perform.” Donaire told us he “feels good and ready to go.”
The two of them have been promoted under the same banner, Top Rank for many years, but this will mark the first card where Donaire and Pacquiao are featured on the same pay-per-view.
