Interview with Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire: The Forgotten Flyweight

Interview with Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire: The Forgotten Flyweight

By John Pullman, Doghouse Boxing (June 26, 2009)

It was July 7th, 2007. Just three days after the usual Fourth of July celebration. And for everyone who missed the annual festivities, Nonito “The Filipino Flash” supplied an abundance of fireworks on Vic Darchinyan’s head and body, eventually knocking, the then Flyweight Champion cold in round 5.

Since then Nonito has had three victories and all of them have come by knockout. It kind of makes you wonder as to how, in the world, is it that Vic Darchinyan gets more publicity and is ranked higher than

Nonito in anybody’s pound for pound list. “It’s his personality. He (Darchinyan) likes to put himself out there a lot. He likes to talk. For me, I don’t pay attention to it. I got him out of there and even before I got him out I was beating him convincingly, power, speed, everything. The guy is just angry, he is like the little boy who is angry because he can’t have what he wants. I’ve already done to him what he wants to do to me,” says Donaire as he chuckles.

Although Darchinyan gets most of the publicity due to his reckless style and attitude, Nonito remains humble. Nonito can’t help but laugh as he says “You can’t really tell that I am a fighter, I love boxing and I love watching boxing, just my personality outside of boxing is just a little different. I joke a lot, I laugh a lot. I like animation, video games. I am kinda like a nerdy, geeky type of person.”

Since the two have last tangled, Darchinyan has moved up in weight and won a title beating the best Super flyweight has to offer. Although Donaire has already dethroned Darchinyan once, he has no problem’s doing it again. Nonito continues “If they want to make the fight happen, let’s not talk about it,

let’s put it on paper and let’s go for it. It’s just a matter of time I think.”

In the mean time, the Filipino Flash is moving up in weight and plans to make another appearance in August. “At 112 I felt so fragile, I would get tired quicker. I know its only three pounds but at 115 I feel a lot stronger,” a confident Nonito proclaims.

The date is mapped out but at the moment he is unsure of his opponent. He was originally planning on fighting Hugo Fidel Cazares but they could not come to an agreement during negotiations. So who is Nonito going to fight next? The Filipino champion continues “I am not sure who my opponent is going to be. Rafael Concepcion is the guy that we are looking at right now. He is a pretty good fighter, he is a brawler, he has pretty good power.”

Whoever it is Nonito is feeling confident. This is his second training camp with the Penalosas and according to Donaire, it is going well. “We are in good chemistry, we speak the same Filipino dialect. We have the same goal. We are there mentally. The respect level is what keeps me going. They push me to do my best and so far its been really great.”

If you think you have seen the best of the Filipino Flash already, and his dominance over pound for pound A-lister, Vic Darchinyan was some kind of fluke, you are mistaken. He wants you to know that the best of Nonito Donaire is yet to come. “My last fight was the first fight when I really got in 100 percent in shape. All the work, all the sparring, all the running and sprinting,” said the Flash.

Nonito doesn’t plan to stay at 115 long. He has a bigger frame for a flyweight, standing 5ft 6 and he has fought as high as 120lbs in the past. “I want to move up to 118 right away. I think that’s my natural weight,” says Donaire.

All and all Nonito Donaire has to be one of boxing’s best kept secrets. If you are not an avid boxing fan or Filipino you probably have not heard of him, which is a shame. Darchinyan and Donaire used to share the same promoter, Gary Shaw. After Donaire beat Darchinyan, which was a major upset, Vic Darchinyan, still promoted by Shaw, continued to climb the pound for pound ladder and gain more and more notoriety. While Donaire only fought once in the next 11 months or so. Donaire then left Shaw. After a TKO victory over Jorge Arce, Darchinyan was asked by Jim Gray, does he want to fight Nonito Donaire again. Vic responds, “I would love to fight him.” Then Gary Shaw chimes in “Not a chance. You don’t reward disloyal people and boxers.”

It seems as though Gary Shaw has two interests, that both start with D, he would like to see in the ring. That’s Dollars and Darchinyan, which is quite a common occurrence. Not Darchinyan and Donaire. If Darchinyan and Donaire square off again and history repeats it self, like it often does, Gary would have lost his cash cow. And after Kimbo Slice he is running low.

Writer’s Note: Thanks to Nonito Donaire for taking the time out to talk with me.