Bob Arum confirms unified featherweight title opportunity for Nonito Donaire
No less than Top Rank Promotions head honcho Bob Arum confirmed the news that Nonito Donaire (32-2-0, 21 knockouts) could get another shot at unified world titles. But bigger than that is the opportunity to become a five-division world champion.
Arum told Phil Jay of World Boxing News that he is indeed working on setting up a fight between Donaire and Simpiwe Vetyeka (26-2-0, 26 KOs) of South Africa.
Vetyeka gained worldwide popularity when he dethroned and retired Indonesian boxing legend Chris John in his last fight. The South African has fast hands and also has decent power. He stands taller than Donaire, a rare occurrence for the Filipino puncher.
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Donaire first won a world title in the flyweight division by knocking out Vic Darchinyan to earn him the unified IBF and IBO titles. He then outgrew the 112-pound limit and won the interim WBA super flyweight title against Rafael Concepcion in 2009.
In 2011, Donaire had another unified title reign as he knocked out Fernando Montiel to win the WBC and WBO bantamweight belts. He then joined an elite group of fighters when he defeated Rafael Marquez Jr. to win the vacant WBO super bantamweight crown and be a four-division world champion.
For the third time in his career, Donaire unified two world titles as he defeated Jeffrey Mathebula to join his WBO belt with the South African’s IBF belt. However, he lost both belts to Cuban tactician Guillermo Rigondeaux.
After that loss, Donaire moved to the featherweight division where he salvaged a knockout victory at the cusp of dropping a decision against Darchinyan.
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A few years ago, Donaire was seen as a possible successor to Manny Pacquiao to represent the Philippines in the pound-for-pound rankings. However, his loss to Rigondeaux and his struggle against Darchinyan tempered the expectations for him.
Winning a world title in his fifth division will undoubtedly bring some luster back in Donaire’s name.
