Donaire to defend title in Cebu

CEBU, Philippines - Cebuano fight fans have something big to look forward to as four-division world champion Nonito ‘The Filipino Flash’ Donaire Jr. will now defend his WBO super bantamweight crown here in the Queen City of the South against Hungarian Zsolt ‘Mr. Left Hook’ Bedak on April 23.

The Donaire-Bedak showdown was initially set at the Araneta Coliseum, but ALA Promotions President Michael Aldeguer announced yesterday that Donaire’s title defense now will be staged at the Cebu City Sports Center.

 “This is something that we have looked forward to for a long time because we always wanted to give Cebuano fans something big,” said Aldeguer. “We wanted this because we want to make Cebu the mecca of boxing and we are proud to be a Cebu-based company.”

 “At first it was Araneta (Coliseum), but we agreed with Top Rank to change the venue and this will be something historic for us. Bob (Arum) has never been here in Cebu and it would also be great to have him here,” Aldeguer said.

 The Donaire-Bedak will be the second biggest fistic extravaganza that will take place at the Cebu City Sports Center after the IBF super flyweight eliminator between Z “The Dream” Gorres and Fernando "Cochulito" Montiel on February 24, 2007.

 Donaire reclaimed the WBO belt with a hard-earned unanimous decision victory over Cesar Juarez in their bloody and brutal 12-round war in San Juan,  Puerto Rico in December last year.

 The Fil-Am warrior thus shot back to world fame since losing his WBA featherweight crown after being knocked out by  Nicholas Walters in round six two years ago.

Donaire hold a 36-3 record spiked with 23 KOs, while the WBO ranked No.4 Bedak, sports a 25-1 slate with 8KOs. It will be Bedak's second world title shot after losing via 10th round TKO to Puerto Rican Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. also for the WBO super bantamweight belt six years ago.  (FREEMAN)