Donaire idedepensa ang WBO super bantamweight title sa Big Dome

MALAMANG na idepensa ni Nonito Donaire Jr. ang kanyang World Boxing Organization (WBO) super bantamweight championship sa harap ng kanyang mga kababayan ngayong taon.

Ayon sa isang ulat ng BoxingScene.com, sinabi ni Top Rank boss Bob Arum na ang title defense ni Donaire laban sa dating featherweight titlist at one-time training stablemate na si Evgeny Gradovich ay nakatakdang ganapin sa Abril 23 sa Smart Araneta Coliseum sa Cubao, Quezon City.

“Our plans for him are to have him next fight at the world famous Araneta Coliseum in the Philippines, which 40 years ago of course hosted the ‘Thrilla in Manila,’ (the third fight) between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier,” sabi ni Arum. “It has undergone major renovation since then, and Nonito will return there to defend his championship.”

Ipinakita naman ni Arum ang kanyang katuwaan sa matinding unanimous victory ni Donaire laban sa Mexicanong si Cesar Juarez nitong Disyembre na isa sa mga maaksyon na labanan nitong 2015.

“We were very, very proud of the way Nonito won the world title in his last fight. Everyone thought he was going to knock the kid out when he dropped him early, but it turned out to be a hell of a fight, a fight that Nonito survived, won and can now look to the future,” sabi pa ni Arum.

Ang panalo ay para sa bakanteng titulo na naging ikatlong sunod na pagwawagi ni Donaire.

Si Donaire ay may 4-0 karta sa kanyang mga laban sa Pilipinas at ang sagupaan nila ni Gradovich (20-1-1, 9 KOs) ay ang ikatlo niya sa Big Dome.

Si Arum, na magdidiwang ng kanyang ika-50 taon bilang isang promoter, ay kumpiyansa naman sa magiging hinaharap ng 33-anyos na Pinoy boxing star sa nasabing weight class.

“Nonito Donaire is a major part of those plans, beginning with the big show in the Philippines,” dagdag pa ni Arum.