Cebu will always be a special place for Nonito Donaire

Part of training done in Cebu

Nonito Donaire Jr. (right) joins fellow Filipino boxing champions in Donnie Nietes (left) and the reigning WBO world minimumweight champion Melvin Jerusalem (middle) during a boxing event in Cebu. | Photo from Melvin Jerusalem

CEBU CITY, Philippines—- Former four-division world champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire Jr. is making the most of his Cebu training camp as he prepares for his world title showdown against Mexican Alexandro Santiago later this year. 

In an interview with CDN Digital, Donaire Jr. said that Cebu will always be a special place for him. Thus, he made sure he spent part of his training here.

Donaire Jr. trained at the Omega Boxing Gym and has sparred with numerous top-caliber boxers. 

The last time he was here in Cebu was in 2016, when he fought Zsolt Bedak for the WBO world super bantamweight title at the Cebu City Sports Center.

When asked what keeps him continuing to fight despite his age, the 40-year-old Donaire said it’s his ‘hunger for living.’

“For me, it’s the hunger for living, I think that’s the thing. Ako, I appreciate ug pasalamat ko sa akong kinabuhi noh kay usahay kung naa naka tanan murag mawala na imong gana sa imong passion,” Donaire Jr. explained.

“Para sa ako-a, lahi akong feeling, dili ko ganahan nga naglingkod lang pirmi. Murag dali ra ko mamatay ana ba, dali ra ko matiguwang. That’s why akong hunger to become a world champion kay naa pa sa ako-a, gusto ko akong lawas kusgan gihapon bisan naa nakoy edad ug mapildi pa nako ang mga batan-on pa sa ako-a.”

Donaire is accompanied by his wife Rachel and several other members of his camp in his training camp here in Cebu. 

“Mao na akong goal ug purpose, mao nang adlaw-adlaw nag training ko, bisan layo pa akong away sa July, nag training nako daan mao akong gihatag sa akong lawas, which is the hunger to live a healthy life,” he added.

Donaire has a record of 42 wins (28 by knockouts), and seven defeats. 

STAYING AT BANTAMWEIGHT 

Donaire revealed that he didn’t push through in moving down to the super flyweight division after receiving offers to reclaim the WBC world bantamweight title, which he lost to Inoue in their rematch last June.

Initially, Donaire Jr. was planning to move down to the super flyweight division and become a five-division world champion.

However, his offer to fight Santiago came. 

“Diri ra ko sa bantamweight, kadtong niagi nga naay fight sa sa super flyweight, ako to gi dawat para mahimo kong five-division world champion. So, karon nga naa koy away for the WBC vacant bantamweight title, diri ra ko sa bantamweight lang usa,” added Donaire Jr. 

Donaire said that Santiago is not an ordinary opponent and should be taken lightly. 

“Maayo pud ni nga kontra. Lig-on nga Mexican. Mga Mexicans, mga isog ba, pero mas isog ang mga Bisaya. Nag huwat na lang ko ma finalize na sa WBC siya akong maka fight. Ang venue ug schedule wala pa gi finalize,” he said. 

Santiago has a relatively younger record of 27 wins (14 by knockouts) with three defeats and five draws. Santiago is best known to fight former world champion Jerwin Ancajas for the latter’s IBF world super flyweight title, which ended in a draw in 2018. 

/bmjo

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