World Champion boxer Nonito Donaire, a resident of San Leandro, entertained an audience of nearly 100 people this Saturday at the Undisputed gym in San Carlos, Calif.
Donaire, considered by some experts the greatest Filipino boxer second only to Manny Pacquiao, trained in a public event to promote his next fight in San Antonio, Texas.
The three-hour event was highly energized from the start. With loud music blasting, fans surrounded the ring to get a close look at their hero, exhibited by the cell phone cameras out in full force.
While warming up, Donaire took questions from fans. Once he started his training, he would break out into a dance on occasion, exemplifying the enjoyment he possessed while entertain his fans.
When James Brown’s “Get Up” came on, the crowd went wild as Donaire showed off his best James Brown imitation.
The champion boxer got so excited he brought kids in to the ring to let them show off their moves. He also taught them basic punches and really proved why his fans are so enamored with him.
The fight scheduled for Feb. 4 is dubbed “Welcome to the Future” as it will showcase some of the new rising stars of boxing.
Among them are Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., son of the legendary Mexican boxer Julio Cesar Chavez, and Wilfredo Vazquez Jr., son of three-time Puerto Rican world champion Wilfredo Vazquez.
A graduate of San Lorenzo High School, Donaire has generated much interest in the Filipino community, but has also received an equal amount of support from members of the Latino community. Donaire has developed a great relationship with his followers.
His trainer, the Mexican-American Roberto Garcia, who has trained big names like Antonio Margarito, Fernando Vargas and Victor Ortiz, is also a boxing champion.
“He knows what his opponent is thinking, it is a talent that many do not have, and that is why he is where he is. He still has a lot more to accomplish in his career,” said Garcia.
His roots in the city of San Leandro and San Lorenzo are a source of inspiration for the fighter who calls the Bay Area his home.
“I want to fight at home. I want to be part of a promotion that brings boxing back to the bay,” explained Donaire. “The Bay Area is amazing and we have three world champions here. We have the talent here and I feel it is something that we owe to our fans.”
Donaire is nicknamed the “Filipino Flash” because of his quickness and boxing style.
“I´m gifted with the speed, overall because I was taught to fight like Sugar Ray Leonard and Muhammad Ali when I was growing up. So the speed was something that I acquired throughout and I was just more of a speed type of person and I gained the power afterwards.”
Close friend and CSU East Bay Taekwondo coach Gilbert Martinez attended the workout to support his friend and spoke highly of Donaire.
“Watching him train is always exciting. He has speed and knockout power, which is something you don’t see too often in the lighter weights. I think it’s great to have one of the top pound for pound boxers in our community,” said Martinez.
His speed and style of fighting have led Donaire to an impressive record of 27 wins, one loss and no draws. His only loss was at the hands of Rosendo Sanchez in 2001.
With less than two weeks until the fight of “The Future,” Donaire said of the Puerto Rican Wilfredo Vazquez Jr., “he wants to show his father, his fans and his home of Puerto Rico that he is a champion, and the best way to do that is against me. For me, this is my opportunity to show the world that I belong in this weight class and I can achieve my goal of being four-time world champion.”
The fight between Vazquez and Donaire will be the first for Donaire in the junior featherweight at 122 pounds. Donaire won his three world titles in lighter weight divisions, which are the flyweight (112 pounds), super flyweight (115 pounds) and bantamweight (118 pounds).
