It’s all or nothing for Donaire

CARSON, California – Nonito Donaire Jr. will be the underdog when he tries to reclaim his good old status against the undefeated Nicholas Walters of Jamaica at the StubHub Center here Saturday evening (Sunday noon in Manila).

In 2012, Donaire was named Fighter of the Year and earned a spot in boxing’s elite circle. But everything changed when he lost his super-bantamweight title to two-time Olympic champion Guillermo Rigondeaux the following year.

Donaire also lost the admiration of many and some of his self-esteem. He said the defeat, only the second in his career spanning 13 years, left him at the crossroads. He said he wasn’t sure then if he would continue fighting or call it a day.

The Filipino boxer, now a father, chose to move on as a fighter, and scored unimpressive wins over Vic Darchinyan and Simpiwe Vetyeka over the last 11 months.

Again, he’s here to show he’s as good as before.

Or even better.

“Whatever people say, that pound-for-pound I’m one of the best or that I’m washed-up, that didn’t come from me,” said the Filipino who has lived most of his life here in the United States.

It may be too early to say that Donaire, who’s turning 32 in a few weeks, is done and finished. But only a clear win over the hard-hitting Jamaican will prove that he’s not nearing the end – at least.

“I’m just here to win and win every fight from this point on. I will just go out there and do the best of what I can do. The story will be told inside that ring – whatever it may be,” he said.

It’s easier said than done because standing in front of him is a boxer who has the penchant for scoring knockouts, and can knock anybody out with one punch.

Donaire has never been down before.

But he can also put an opponent down with one punch and has proven that not once. Aside from his experience, he can also rely on his speed, with both his hands and feet.

Walters, 24-0 and with 20 knockout wins, said there’s a first time for everything. He vowed to knock Donaire out, and unify the WBA featherweight crowns.

It was written a couple of weeks ago that Walters has vowed to stop Donaire inside six rounds. But two days ago, said he never said anything like that.

“I didn’t say five rounds but now it can end in five rounds. It can end less than five rounds,” said Walters, an inch taller than the 5-foot-6 Donaire.

“But every boxer can be knocked out. I can be knocked out also but can he find a way to knock me out? Will I find a way to knock him out? Definitely. I’ve been training hard for this fight,” he said.

Donaire also trained hard for the fight, and according to his father and trainer, Nonito Sr., it’s the first time that they completed two full months of training with no distractions.

“In his last fights, he was always injured. But this time we did everything we had to do in two months. He left his family in Las Vegas and we trained for two months in my gym in Oakland,” said Nonito Sr.

Donaire is the underdog. During the official weigh-in, the buzz among foreign boxing scribes is that Donaire will find it very difficult to last inside the ring against Walters.

“They can say everything they want. When we get inside the ring that’s when the story will be told. I just go out there and do my thing,” said Donaire, also looking for a knockout.

“I’d rather finish it as early as possible,” he said.

“But of course we can’t underestimate him. He’s strong. But I feel mas malakas ako (I’m stronger). Confident fighters are dangerous fighters. I know that. But there were other fighters who said before a fight they were stronger than me, hit harder, were going to knock me out.

“Walters is a good champion but really how many quality fights has he been in compared to where I have been in my career?” Donaire said.

The real story is just waiting to unfold.