The April 13 world title unification bout between WBO junior featherweight champion Nonito “Filipino Flash” Donaire and undefeated WBA super bantamweight champion and former two-time Cuban Olympic gold medalist Guillermo “El Chacal” Rigondeaux will be officially announced on Thursday in New York City. The fight will take place on New York’s biggest stage — Radio City Music Hall — and will be televised on HBO. This marks only the second time Radio City Music Hall has ever hosted professional boxing in its 82-year history. The first fight was the Roy Jones Jr. vs. David Telesco light heavyweight world championship on January 15, 2000.
Donaire, who will be making the fourth defense of his 122-pound title, is hoping to put on a better show than he did in his only previous New York fight. In October 2011, he made his lone bantamweight title defense before moving up in weight by facing junior bantamweight titlist Omar Narvaez of Argentina at the Madison Square Theater. Narvaez moved up in weight for the title shot and although Donaire dominated and won a lopsided decision, Narvaez ran from him the entire fight and refused to engage, eliciting heavy booing from the crowd. Donaire, who is usually in fan-friendly fights, does not want a repeat of that situation with Rigondeaux, a renowned defender and two-time Cuban Olympic gold medalist.
“We want to show up the second time in New York and make a statement this time and not have Rigondeaux run from me when he gets hit hard,” Donaire said. “We already have the remedy and answer for that style from what I learned in the Narvaez fight. We have a blue print ready.
“I failed to get a knockout in my first fight in New York and I want the fans to see a knockout from me. I am going out there to knock my guys out. I believe I have great fans on the East Coast and I want to give them a good show.”
Both fighters have expressed the desire to face each other in the past and they will have that opportunity to showcase their skills against each other at the historical venue.