Make or break for Donaire

MANILA, Philippines — Nonito Donaire Jr. will try to turn back the hands of time when he figures in his first bantamweight fight in seven years and at 35, it’s a make-or-break proposition for the Filipino Flash who battles unbeaten WBA 118-pound champion Ryan Burnett at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow, Scotland, this morning (Manila time).

Two Filipinos had previously fought in Glasgow. Ric Magramo was decked twice in losing a 10-round decision to future world flyweight champion Walter McGowan in 1963 and his grand-nephew Ric Magramo Jr. bowed to Paul Weir on a unanimous 12-round verdict in a WBO lightflyweight title bout in 1995. The first world title fight between a Filipino and a Scot was held at the Empire Pool in Wembley in 1937 when Benny Lynch outpointed La Carlota’s Small Montana in a flyweight bout.

Boxing stable owners Johnny and Liza Elorde accompanied Magramo Jr. to Glasgow, cherishing fond memories. “It wasn’t a hostile atmosphere at all,” said Liza. “The Scottish fans were very respectful. After the fight, a lot of fans went to Ric for photographs and autographs like he was a show business celebrity. It was in April and Glasgow was quite cold but we were prepared for the weather.”

But the Scots can be hard to please, too. They booed Muhammad Ali when he showed up wearing a headgear and jogging pants in an uneventful four-round exhibition with Jimmy Ellis in Glasgow in 1965. Ali returned to Glasgow in 1993 on a book tour and was warmly received.

Donaire said dropping down from featherweight to bantamweight wasn’t a problem. “Everyone thinks they know me,” he said. “All these scribes that say, oh, hell, you haven’t made 118 since whenever. But do they know me and what my natural weight really is? I’ve said I tried to bulk up for (Carl) Frampton (in a WBO interim featherweight title fight last April). And my bulk only led me to 131 pounds on fight night with Frampton in the 126-pound division. I’m not hurting my body at 118. It was discipline to get there and I’m not sacrificing my power for it.”

At the weigh-in last Friday, Donaire tipped the scales at 117.7 pounds while Burnett checked in at 117.8. Donaire clowned around when Burnett was delayed in showing up for the traditional face-off and looked confident. “There can only be one,” he said. “The Super Series is what boxing should be about because it’s where the best fight only the best.”

Donaire said joining the World Boxing Super Series to determine the unified bantamweight champion comes at the perfect time in his career. “The main reason I entered the tournament is because I’ve gotten every accolade I wanted, except to be undisputed,” said Donaire who has held the IBF/IBO flyweight, interim WBA superflyweight, WBC/WBO bantamweight, WBA/IBF/WBO superbantamweight and WBA featherweight titles. “With different promoters, organizations and TV networks, it’s always difficult to become undisputed. This tournament allows for my dream to come true, to finally call me the undisputed champion.”

 Burnett, 26, was told he could never box again because of a blockage on the right side of his brain before turning pro in 2012. But he proved doctors wrong and with Ricky Hatton as his promoter and trainer, pursued his boxing career. When a dispute with Hatton ended their relationship in 2014, Burnett was forced to live in a car until he hooked up with trainer Adam Booth.