Donaire headlines big Dubai slugfest

Third Force Promotions, the outfit that staged the “Payback” bill at the Araneta Coliseum last December, is back to produce a triple world boxing championship card with IBF flyweight champion Nonito Donaire Jr. in the main event in Dubai on March 27.

Sources said Third Force president Noli Eala has sealed the deal for Donaire to stake his crown against Hussein Hussein, an Australian of Lebanese descent, after reaching an agreement with the Filipino’s promoter Gary Shaw and manager Cameron Dunkin.

The San Francisco-based Donaire, who is in Manila, said he’s excited to be involved in the historic undertaking which marks the first time a world title bout will be held in the Middle East. He will confer with Shaw, who’s arriving here Jan. 21, and begin rigid training for the fight at the ALA Gym in Cebu after the meeting.

The project connects Third Force, a consortium of Filipino businessmen and sportsmen, with a Filipino and Middle East group whose vision is to put Dubai in the international boxing map. Eala is reportedly set to fly to Dubai late this week and finalize the details of the show which will be done on a turnkey basis. Eala is expected to submit his plan to the Dubai Sports Council.

The large Filipino overseas working community in the Middle East will be a major market for the event which will feature five Filipino fighters.

Among Third Force’s principals are ABC-TV owner Tony Boy Cojuangco, banker Eric Tagle and Tagbilaran City Mayor Dan Neri Lim.

It will be Donaire’s second defense of the title he wrested from Vic Darchinyan on an upset fifth round knockout in Connecticut last July. Donaire, 25, halted Mexican challenger Luis Maldonado, also in Connecticut, in his initial defense last month.

Hussein, 32, is ranked No. 4 by the WBC, No. 8 by the WBA and No. 10 by the IBF. He has a 31-4 record, with 24 KOs, and twice figured in bloody wars with Mexican star Jorge Arce. Hussein has never lost to a Filipino, victimizing Federico Catubay (KO3), Silvio Glinogo (KO2) and Dianever Orcales (W6), since turning pro in 1998. The former OPBF champion lost a decision to then-WBC titleholder Pongsaklek Wonjongkam in his only bid for a world title in 2003. 

“I’m not afraid of anyone,” said Donaire. “I expect Hussein to be a crowd favorite but I’m hoping the Filipino OFWs will come out in full force to support my defense. I’ll showcase my speed, footwork and power in the fight. I know Hussein is tough. He cut up Arce badly in their first bout and should’ve won by technical knockout. But I’ll be prepared for whatever he brings to the table.”

Although Hussein is coming off a loss on points to Hiroyuki Hisataka in Osaka, the defeat hardly tarnished his reputation as a devil-may-care brawler. He won three in a row before his misadventure in Japan.

Donaire’s record is 19-1, with 12 KOs. He has won his last 18 outings. His only setback was a five-round verdict to Rosendo Sanchez in his second pro fight.

Also confirmed in the card is WBO minimumweight champion Donnie (Ahas) Nietes’ first defense of the crown against former IBF titlist and No. 1 contender Daniel Reyes of Colombia. Reyes, 35, has a 39-5-1 record, with 30 KOs, and won the IBF diadem on a sixth round stoppage of Mexican Edgar Cardenas in 2003. 

Nietes, 25, is from Bacolod. His record is 22-1, with 13 KOs. 

Under negotiation to spice up the show is IBF lightflyweight champion Ulises Solis’ defense against WBC No. 2 contender and OPBF ruler Juanito Rubillar. Solis’ last two victims were Filipinos Bert Batawang and Rodel Mayol so Rubillar has an axe to grind against the Mexican whose record is 26-1, with 20 KOs. It will be Solis’ seventh defense of the 108-pound crown. 

Being lined up in the undercard are Bobby Pacquiao, who will take on Argentina’s Roberto David Arrieta in an IBF superfeatherweight title eliminator, and Philippine bantamweight champion Michael Domingo.

Pacquiao, 27, is fresh from a fourth round stoppage of Fernando Trejo and a win over IBF No. 7 contender Arrieta will earn a shot at the IBF championship now held by South Africa’s Mzonke Fana. Pacquiao is rated No. 15 by the WBC and boasts of three straight wins in the US over former world champions Carlos Navarro, Carlos Hernandez and Kevin Kelley.

A Korean opponent is likely for Domingo who has won his last three fights over Tanzania’s Anthony Mathias, Roger Galicia and previously unbeaten Mexican prospect Miguel Roman.

Boxing icon Manny Pacquiao will be invited as special guest at ringside. He will have fought Juan Manuel Marquez for the WBC superfeatherweight title in Las Vegas nearly two weeks before.