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Nonito Donaire ready to bounce back after a nightmarish 2013

Big time boxing will be making it’s way back to the Cotai Arena in Macau and another Filipino star will be in the main event.

After Manny Pacquiao broke out of his two-fight slump against Brandon Rios in November, Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire will fight on the same ring for the right to be called a five-division boxing champion if he is victorious against Simpiwe Vetyeka, the WBA featherweight champion from South Africa.

Donaire (32-2-0, 21 knockouts) dropped his first fight in 12 years against Guillermo Rigondeaux last year. He has since rebounded with a knockout win over old foe Vic Darchinyan.

“2012 was an amazing year,” Donaire said in during a press conference hosted by Top Rank Promotions. “2013 was a year of thoughts; a year of my crossroads. It was a year when I found myself questioning what I wanted to do with boxing. It was a year of contemplation, of realizing what’s truly important to me.”

The result of the questions in his mind was a lackluster performance resulting to a loss to the willy Cuban.

I asked myself if I already reached the pinnacle of Nonito Donaire, of the Filipino Flash,” Donaire added. “Those questions were in my head. These were hovering over my body, over my mind.”

However, after the challenges 2013 presented, Donaire is feels that he cam out a better fighter. “2013 needed to happen. I am ready and willing to unleash the true potential of what I’m capable of doing,” he shared. “I’ve won for 12 years straight until I ran into a wall that I’m still climbing over. The fight with Darchinyan was the one that made me realize that I wanted to do this.”

Donaire’s name exploded after he won the IBF flyweight champion Darchinyan with a stoppage that won Ring Magazine’s Knockout of the Year and Upset of the Year honors. He moved up in weight and collected titles in the super flyweight, bantamweight and super bantamweight divisions.

The Filipino Flash will fight without trainer Robert Garcia in Macau. Donaire was pressed for his current arrangement with former Ring Magazine Trainer of the Year winner but he evaded the question. Instead he talked at length about his newfound relationship with his father.

“When I was young, I thought my dad was too strict. Now that I’m a father, I realized that my dad just always looked out for me. Because of what my son brought into my mentality, we just enjoy everything,” Donaire said. “Before it was a struggle: my pride versus his. Now we’re like water. We’re just flowing.”

Asked what changes his father brought into his training, Donaire admitted that his father’s propensity for studying tape of his opponent has helped a lot.

“Before, I relied on punching power. When I hit opponents, I knew they were going down,” Donaire admitted. “Now, with me training, I’ll rely more on my speed and my technical ability.”

Donaire admitted that he would not stay long in the featherweight division. After one or two fights, he’ll be moving up to the super featherweight division to take on even bigger challenges. Donaire however admitted that if Rigondeaux is open to a rematch at 126, he’ll be more than willing to accept it. However, Donaire made it clear that he won’t wait for long as wants to move one with his career with or without the rematch.

“I live for the joy of watching the people see me box,” Donaire said. “That’s why I want to be here, to give everything that I got for my fans, for our country, and for everyone who loves boxing.”