Five division world champion Nonito “Filipino Flash” Donaire Jr. extended his contract with Top Rank Boxing Promotions following his announcement to fight Cesar Juarez on Dec. 11 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Donaire, one of Top Rank’s top boxers, will fight Juarez (17-3, 13 KOs) of Mexico for the vacant junior featherweight title that was stripped from Puerto Rican Guillermo “El Chacal” Rigondeauz due to inactivity.
In a report at Philboxing.com, Donaire went to Top Rank’s office to meet Bob Arum and talk about the contract extension.
“Nonito came to the office to meet with me and sign the contract. And he said, ‘No more fooling around, no more being a celebrity. I’m a fighter, and I’m going to work hard and stay in the gym, and you will see the best Nonito Donaire you’ve ever seen,’” Arum said in the report. “I think Donaire is really serious now. He’s a great fighter, and I don’t count him out against anybody.”
The 32-year old Donaire (35-3, 23 KOs) has been training in Las Vegas under his father’s tutelage Nonito Sr. in their gym in Las Vegas, Nevada after beating Frenchman Anthony Settoul in Macau,
China last July to defend the NABF bantamweight title he won last March in Manila against unheralded William Prado of Brazil.
PLANNED BOUTS
If Donaire beats Juarez in the upcoming fight, Arum is planning bigger fights for the Filipino. He said he is planning to put Donaire against current featherweight title holder Vasyl Lomachenko (4-1, 2 KOs).
Aside from that, Arum is also planning a new deal for Donaire involving a rematch against another of his tormentor, Nicolas Walters, who is the Pinoy boxer last year in the US for the WBA featherweight title.
“Those fights are there for me, and I am happy about that and happy knowing I will get the opportunity for big fights. We’re happy about the deal and the possibility of fighting the best fighters that Top Rank can make available to me,” Donaire said.
Donaire said the fight he really wants, however, is with Lomachenko. “He is a really good fighter and a really good test for me to see where I’m at.”
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