Ain’t no losing, says Donaire

MANILA, Philippines — Nonito Donaire Jr. isn’t taking any chances against late substitute opponent Stephon Young and will go all out for a convincing victory in their World Boxing Super Series (WBSS) semifinal fight at the Cajun Dome in Lafayette, Louisiana, tonight (tomorrow morning, Manila time).

Young was tapped to replace original opponent WBO bantamweight champion Zolani Tete who called in sick last Tuesday. Tete had moved from South Africa to Las Vegas to Lafayette only to withdraw with a painful right shoulder that acted up during a mitts session. The claim is Tete is suffering from tendonitis in the shoulder. The suspicion is he chickened out after watching Donaire in a public workout.

Young was supposed to face Daniel Lozano in the undercard of the Lafayette bill so he’s coming in ready to fight. He said the offer to battle Donaire on a four-day notice was life-changing. “I feel like the odds are against me but I will overcome this,” said Young, quoted by Kevin Foote. “I believe in myself. I know what I can do. I have a great fighter in front of me but I just don’t feel like he can beat me.”

Tete opened training camp in South Africa then worked out for two weeks in Las Vegas under Floyd Mayweather Sr. before landing in Lafayette. Tete was slated to take on Donaire, who holds the “super” WBA championship, in a unification duel leading to the WBSS final against the May 18 winner of the fight between “regular” WBA titlist Naoya Inoue of Japan and IBF beltholder Emmanuel Rodriguez of Puerto Rico. 

“Tete has tendonitis in his shoulder and wants it healed,” said Donaire. “He made the call he had to for himself. And I did as well. My family sacrificed, I sacrificed. I’m on weight. I’ve been training and in the end, I’m not responsible for another man’s injury. So I’m going to go in there against Young and I’m going to do what I came here to do in front of the Lafayette fans, my friends and family. I’m taking my titles to the final. Ain’t no losing.”

Donaire’s wife Rachel said like Tete, Young is a southpaw so the adjustment won’t be major. Young, however, isn’t as long as Tete. Young is 5-5 with a 67-inch reach while Tete is 5-9 with a 72-inch wingspan. Donaire is 5-7 1/2 with a 68-inch reach. “Young isn’t as rangy as Tete but moves a lot,” said Rachel. “It’s uncanny how similar their styles are.”

Rachel said Tete’s injury didn’t seem serious. “There’s no guarantee a postponement puts Tete back in the ring in June,” she said. “As far as I know, they wanted to push it to Glasgow in three weeks. If so, the injury doesn’t sound very serious.”

The other day, Donaire scaled 120.8 pounds and shouldn’t find it difficult to make the 118-pound bantamweight limit at the weigh-in. Rachel said the team is in great spirits. Former US Olympic boxing coach Kenny Adams has been closely working with Donaire in the gym and will work his corner.

Young, 30, was only 12 years old when Donaire turned pro in 2001. He has a record of 18-1-3, with 7 KOs. In March last year, Young suffered his first and only defeat when he was dropped in the third stanza and lost a 12-round decision to Filipino Reymart Gaballo in Hollywood. The fight against Donaire will be Young’s second 12-rounder and fifth over 10 rounds in his career. In contrast, Donaire has fought in 25 12-rounders and four 10-rounders in compiling an overall record of 39-5, with 25 KOs.

Nicknamed “Showstopper,” Young is coming off a win on points over Wilner Soto last October. As an amateur, he came close to nailing a spot on the US Olympic boxing team and was often compared to Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Pernell Whitaker. Young said he rates his chances to beat Donaire as “very, very good.”