Donaire splits up with Arum

MANILA, Philippines - Nonito Donaire Jr. has cut his promotional ties with Top Rank, and as a free man the 2012 Fighter of the Year is hoping to land the fights he couldn’t make in the past.

Donaire, nicknamed “The Filipino Flash,” worked with Top Rank for eight years. He only had a month left in his contract with Bob Arum’s company when both sides agreed it was time to let go.

At 34, Donaire is heading toward the final stretch of his colorful career that had him winning world titles at flyweight, bantamweight, junior-featherweight and featherweight.

It was an amicable parting of ways between Donaire and Top Rank.

 “I’m grateful for what Top Rank has done with my career. I’ve gotten fighter of the year, been in front of everyone on television. But I’ve always been excited for new opportunities,” Donaire told ESPN.com.

“When I started boxing I didn’t have the luxury of being an Olympian and having the path laid out for me. I fought my way there and conquered whatever I had to. I am very excited about the future. There’s uncertainty but there is also opportunity,” he said.

Donaire, who moved back down to junior-featherweight after losing his 126-pound title to Nicolas Walters in 2014, wants to stage a comeback at featherweight.

There’s a long line of good fighters at 126 pounds, most of them under Al Haymon, who doesn’t really see eye-to-eye with anyone from Top Rank.

Donaire said he will pursue any of those fights, including ones against Leo Santa Cruz, Abner Mares and Carl Frampton.