Arum who visited the Wild Card Gym earlier in the week and watched former two-division world champion Gerry Penalosa and world-rated featherweight Bernabe Concepcion work out said that besides WBA Interim super flyweight champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire who battles hard-hitting Mexican Gerson Guerrero “they are all looking good. Concepcion, Manny (who defends his title against Joshua Clottey in Dallas on March 13) and Penalosa all looked unbelievable.”
Donaire who headlines the fight card that features five Filipinos in action held a media day in his training camp at the Undefeated Gym in San Carlos before a large turnout underscoring his popularity as one of the most skilled fighters in the lower weight divisions and the next big name among Filipinos behind the one and only Manny Pacquiao.
Donaire who leaves for Las Vegas on Monday (Manila Time) told us that he feels “really good and am really ready. This time I feel very, very confident.”
He said he and trainer Robert Garcia who has joined him in his training camp after flying home from Manila where he worked the corner of IBF light flyweight champion Brian Viloria who put up a gallant stand but lost his title to Carlos Tamara of Colombia by a 12th round TKO last Saturday, said they had watched some tapes of his Mexican opponent Gerson Guerrero and noted that he was “a very strong fighter but leaves himself open a few times and is something we can take advantage of.”
Asked about reports that his left hook was looking particularly devastatng Donaire responded, “my left hook is always looking deadly and my speed is coming up and that’s what made it look more deadly sparring with these guys and my right hand is also effective.”
Donaire has been sparring with Nicaraguan Randy Caballero, Mexican Eric Manriquez and another young fighter, all three of whom he described as “up and coming guys showing a lot of speed and a lot of energy and I have to keep up with the energy so I have brought my energy back up.”
Garcia told us he was particularly impressed with Donaire’s footwork saying “he’s doing pretty good” while overall he is “doing perfect and his movement from side to side makes him even stronger.”
The trainer indicated that there are some “possible big fights” on the horizon especially after Jorge Arce won the WBC super flyweight title with a 7th round TKO over Indonesia’s Angky Angkota in Mexico on Sunday, Vic Darchinyan who has called out Donaire more than once and received a positive response from the “Filipino Flash” saying “anytime, anywhere” and WBO bantamweight champion Fernando Montiel who defends his title against promising Filipino Ciso “Kid Terrible” Morales on the “Pinoy Power III” card that will be telecast in the Philippines by the giant broadcast network ABS-CBN.
Source: Ronnie Nathanielsz | BoxingScene.com
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