By Roberto Beltran
On October 13th, at the Home Depot Center in Carson, CA, IBF and WBO Super Bantamweight champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire (29-1, 18KOs) will take on what might be his toughest challenge to date, the WBC Emeritus Champion Toshiaki Nishioka(39-4-3, 24KOs). Both of these fighters are coming off of respectable wins where Donaire beat Jeffrey Mathebula with a unanimous decision and Nishioka won a UD against a very skilled and respectable Mexican fighter in Rafael Marquez.
Nonito has previously been criticized by some of the boxing world that he has yet to face “real competition” by not fighting outstanding amateur Guillermo “El Chacal” Rigondeaux (11-0, 8KOs) who is coming off his UD against a very game Roberto Marroquin from Dallas, Texas, on the Julio Cesar Chavez Jr vs Sergio Martinez undercard. Or that he has yet to face undefeated WBC super bantamweight champion Abner Mares (24-0, 13KOs). Finally to the boxing community this will be a fight Donaire needs to prove the critics wrong and to solidify his P4P status.
This fight is just as important to Nishioka. He is ranked at #1 by The Ring Magazine and by some just misses the top 10 P4P list. Nishioka is looking to further his exposure here in America and what other way than to beat “The Filipino Flash”? They both have exciting and crowd pleasing styles. No doubt these 2 warriors will go at it and make for an entertaining fight on the 13th of October.
Prediction: It will be an awesome night of boxing where 2 champions will show they are worthy of being on the P4P list. I am thinking it will start off slow for a few rounds while they feel each other out then they will pick up the pace around the 4th round with both guys getting in good shots. Since neither guy likes to back down, it will be a come forward slug fest. I see Donaire being just a little too fast and quick for Nishioka. Catching him with some bombs and dropping him. Nishioka is durable so he will get up and start fighting back which will be his demise. I see Donaire stopping Nishioka in a 10th round KO.
The co-main event will be Former WBA World lightweight champion Brandon Rios (30-0-1, 22 KO’s) against unbeaten light welterweight contender Mike Alvarado (33-0, 23 KO’s). “It’s going to be a bloody, violent fight. It’s not going the distance,” stated Rios.