Donaire predicts Manny win by KO

Source: philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines - Back in the US to prepare for his title defense against unbeaten Argentinian Omar Narvaez, WBC/WBO bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire Jr. said the other day he expects Manny Pacquiao to knock out Juan Manuel Marquez anywhere from five to eight rounds when they clash in Las Vegas on Nov. 12.

“It’ll be an exciting fight,” said Donaire, referring to the third meeting between Pacquiao and the Mexican whiner who insists he was robbed in a draw and a loss by split decision in their first two encounters. “Marquez is slower now. He’s even chunkier. But he won’t fight Manny like (Sugar Shane) Mosley. Marquez will go out there trying to take out Manny. That’s why it’ll be a lot more exciting than Manny’s fight against Mosley. Manny won’t have a problem finding Marquez. It’ll be over in five to eight rounds.”

Donaire was in town with wife Rachel for about three weeks and left for the US last Thursday.

Marquez, 38, is moving up from the lightweight division to challenge Pacquiao who’s defending his WBO welterweight title at a catchweight limit of 144 pounds at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Pacquiao, 32, tipped the scales at 145 for his bout against Mosley last May while Marquez was at 138 for his first-round knockout over Likar Ramos last July. The heaviest Marquez has weighed in for a bout was 142 in losing to Floyd Mayweather in 2009. Marquez was floored once enroute to dropping a lopsided decision to Pretty Boy. It was evident that Marquez couldn’t carry the extra weight and was sluggish because of the excess baggage.

Pacquiao floored Marquez thrice in their featherweight battle in 2004 and did it once when they fought as superfeatherweights in 2008. Now, Pacquiao is bigger and stronger as a welterweight. If Marquez was floored four times by Pacquiao when they were almost equal in weight, the betting is the Mexican – who’s a natural lightweight – wouldn’t be able to withstand the Filipino icon’s welterweight power.

Donaire said he hopes to follow in Pacquiao’s footsteps and collect a truckload of titles. Pacquiao is in the record books as the only fighter ever to win eight world crowns in eight different weight divisions. Donaire has so far won two world championships in two weight classes. He’s booked to face Narvaez at the Home Depot Center in Carson City, California, on Oct. 22. Top Rank chairman Bob Arum recently confirmed the fight as a done deal. After the Narvaez fight, Donaire said he’s moving up to superbantamweight. His goal is to take on the winner of the Oct. 1 showdown between Marquez’ brother Rafael and WBC 122-pound champion Toshiaka Nishioka of Japan. It will be Nishioka’s sixth defense. Rafael Marquez is a former WBC superbantamweight and IBF bantamweight titlist.

Donaire had planned to fight twice more before the year ends but a spot in the undercard of the Miguel Cotto-Antonio Margarito mainer at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Dec. 3 was scratched because it’s too close to the Oct. 22 fight against Narvaez. Besides, Donaire has an appointment with Rachel to do a church wedding in Alabang on Nov. 11. A duel with the Nishioka-Marquez winner is a possibility for January.

If the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight pushes through in May next year, Donaire said it would be a dream come true to perform in the undercard. “It would be an honor to fight in the undercard of what has to be the biggest boxing event in decades,” said Donaire. “Manny is the best fighter in the world and the pride of all Filipinos. He’s done so much for our country.”

Donaire overcame a lot of out-of-the-ring tension to wrest the WBC and WBO bantamweight titles from Mexico’s Fernando Montiel via a second round knockout last February. The night before the fight, he broke a front tooth biting into a piece of French bread at the Ruth’s Chris steakhouse in Las Vegas and had an emergency patch-up job in a 1 a.m. visit to a dentist. Donaire brought his custom-made mouthpiece to the dentist who put a temporary cap to fit the gumshield. Donaire later went to a San Francisco dentist for a permanent cap.

In his dressing room an hour before entering the ring to face Montiel, Donaire realized someone forgot to bring the Philippine flag, the tape of the Philippine national anthem and punch-mitts which were left in the parking lot. Donaire started to bang the mitts only about 30 minutes before his fight. But Donaire never lost his focus despite the distractions. It took him only five minutes and 25 seconds to dethrone Montiel.