Nonito Donaire signs with Richard Schaefer’s Ringstar Sports

Posted on July 27, 2017 by Robert Morales

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Nonito Donaire, left, takes a punch from Jessie Magdaleno during their fight in November in Las Vegas/Getty Images photo by Christian Petersen

Nonito Donaire, who has won major titles in four weight classes and an interim title in a fifth, this week signed a promotional contract with Richard Schaefer’s Ringstar Sports.

“Exploring what was out there in the new landscape of boxing was unnerving and exciting at the same time,” Donaire said. “I have known Richard for many years and have always respected what he has been able to do for the fighters he promotes. At this point in my career, I want the biggest fights possible and Richard’s track record to deliver them speaks for itself.”

Donaire, 34, most recently lost his super bantamweight world title to Jessie Magdaleno in November in Las Vegas.

“Nonito is one of the modern day legends of our sport,” Schaefer said. “One of these rare fighters that always delivers and always knows how to entertain. I am convinced that he will again become one of the pound-for-pound best fighters in the world. No doubt about it.”

Donaire is 37-4 with 24 knockouts.

Oscar Valdez, Jessie Magdaleno tell fans why they should buy Nov. 5 card that includes Pacquiao-Vargas in main event

Posted on October 21, 2016 by Robert Morales

Jessie Magdaleno

Jessie Magdaleno/Photo courtesy of Top Rank Inc.

The heck with the naysayers. According to Oscar Valdez and Jessie Magdaleno, there are plenty of reasons why fans should buy their Nov. 5 pay-per-view card that will be headlined by Manny Pacquiao challenging Jessie Vargas for his welterweight title at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

Indeed, there is not as much buzz for this Pacquiao fight as usual. Valdez and Magdaleno are in title fights on the undercard, and when asked why fans should fork over the $59.95 for the Top Rank-produced feed, they let everyone know why this is a worthwhile purchase.

“Why shouldn’t they?” Magdaleno said Thursday during a workout at Jackrabbit Boxing Club in Long Beach. “They’ve got great, young talent that’s in that ring. They’ve got myself, they’ve got Jessie Vargas, they’ve got Oscar Valdez – two-time Olympian who is now a world champion. They’ve got great upcoming historical guys who are going to make history in the boxing world, and who are going to put on great shows as the years go on.

“… We are the future of boxing and we are action-packed guys who want to put on great shows as great Mexican guys. We want to live to that legend. And that’s what we’re doing. That’s why people should continue buying this pay per view card.”

Magdaleno (23-0, 17 KOs), of Las Vegas, will challenge Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire (37-3, 24 KOs) for his super bantamweight title.

Mexico’s Valdez (20-0, 18 KOs) will make the first defense of his featherweight world title when he squares off with Hiroshige Osawa (30-3-4, 19 KOs) of Japan. Valdez put his own colorful spin on why this is a solid purchase.

“First of all, you’ve got Jessie Magadaleno,” Valdez said. “Hungry lion, as they say, fighting Nonito Donaire, which, Nonito is still a tough, tough fighter. He’s one of the top fighters out there, so that;s going to be a great, great fight. Me, as a fan, I would love to see that fight. In my case, I’m fighting the WBO ranked No. 1 – Osawa. A lot of people don’t know this guy because he mainly did his career in Japan. But he’s still a tough fighter. I don’t take him lightly at all and I never will take a fighter lightly.

“In my case, I’m going to give it my best. … And then, finally, you’ve got this fighter, Pacquiao, fighting Jessie Vargas. Jessie Vargas is not easy. He could beat Pacquiao. Anyone that knows boxing knows that Jessie Vargas could beat Pacquiao. Pacquiao’s still Pacquiao. I still think Pacquiao is going to put up a good fight, he always puts up a good fight. And I think that’s why everyone should buy this fight.”

There is a fourth world-title fight on this card. It will match Zou Shiming (8-1, 2 KOs) of China against Prasitsak Papoem (39-1-2, 24 KOs) of Thailand for a vacant flyweight title.

Tickets for Vasyl Lomachenko-Nicholas Walters go on sale Wednesday

Posted on October 17, 2016 by Robert Morales

Vasyl Lomachenko

Vasyl Lomachenko/Photo courtesy of Top Rank Inc.

If ever there was a case to use the term “potential Fight of the Year candidate,” it would be regarding the Nov. 26 super featherweight title fight between champion Vasyl Lomachenko and Nicholas Walters at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas (on HBO).

Lomachenko, who won gold medals for Ukraine in the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games, will be making the first defense of the title he won with a fifth-round knockout of Roman “Rocky” Martinez in June at Madison Square Garden. Lomachenko (6-1, 4 KOs) also has held a world title in the featherweight division.

Walters, of Jamaica, is a former featherweight champion who once stopped Nonito Donaire in the sixth round of a title fight in October 2014. Walters is a vicious fighter with a record of 26-0-1 and 21 knockouts.

Tickets go on sale Wednesday at 10 a.m. for this Top Rank Inc. card. They are priced at $50, $75, $100, $150 and $200 and can be purchased through Ticketmaster by calling 800-745-3000 or by going to www.ticketmaster.com. Another avenue is going to www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com/.

Art Hovhannisyan wants to put on show Friday in main event at Belasco Theater

Posted on October 5, 2016 by Robert Morales

Art Hovhannisyan addresses reporters at this week’s media workout in Los Angeles/Photo courtesy of Golden Boy Promotions

If Art Hovhannisyan of Glendale stays true to his credo, fans could be in for a good time when he takes on Diego Magdaleno in the junior welterweight main event Friday at Belasco Theater in Los Angeles (on Estrella TV).

“I started my boxing career when I was 12, and was inspired by my favorite boxer, Mike Tyson,” Hovhannisyan said. “I’m the type of fighter that loves to put on a show in the ring.”

Hovhannisyan could have his hands full with Magdaleno, a southpaw out of Las Vegas who is 29-2 with 12 knockouts.

“… I have watched him fight a few times,” Hovhannisyan said. “I know what I have to do in the ring to earn the victory.”

Magdaleno is the older brother of Jessie Magdaleno, who Nov. 5 will challenge Nonito Donaire for his super bantamweight title on the undercard of the Jessie Vargas-Manny Pacquiao welterweight title fight at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas (on Top Rank pay-per-view, $59.95.

Jessie Magdaleno looks for first title, but will have hands full with Nonito Donaire

Posted on September 29, 2016 by Robert Morales

Jessie Magdaleno

Jessie Magdaleno/Photo courtesy of Top Rank Inc.

World-class boxer Jessie Magdaleno was born in Pomona, but he moved away at age 4 and has since called Las Vegas home.

“Vegas, it’s been good to me,” Magdaleno said. “It’s been a great city and I just have so many kid memories from there.”

It is therefore appropriate that Magadaleno will fight for his first world title in his backyard. He’ll challenge Nonito Donaire for his super bantamweight belt on the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao-Jessie Vargas welterweight title fight Nov. 5 at Thomas & Mack Center.

“It’s a huge opportunity for me,” Magdaleno said this week at an L.A. news conference.

That’s for sure. Donaire, of San Leandro via the Philippines, has won world titles in four weight classes. He’s more than likely going to one day be inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

Nevertheless, the undefeated Magdaleno (23-0, 17 KOs) speaks in undaunted tones about this shot.

“It’s a big challenge for me, but like I tell everybody, I have this vision and I feel like my age and my speed and my power is really going to overcome him,” Magdaleno said. “I take nothing from him. He’s a great fighter. He’s accomplished what he’s accomplished in the sport.

“But I believe it’s time there’s a new champion and I believe it’s me.”

Magdaleno, a southpaw, is just 24. Donaire (37-3, 24 KOs) is 33 and has been in plenty of ring wars. Frank Espinoza, Magdaleno’s West Covina-based manager, intimated his fighter has to go hard all the way through to take full advantage of his youth.

“We’ve gotta look to go all 12 rounds and wear him down because we are the younger fighter,” Espinoza said. “I think it’s his time and I believe Jessie Magdaleno is going to become a world champion Nov. 5.”

For Donaire, he’s stoked about fighting on the same card as Pacquiao for the first time. He also likes where his head is at, and he figures that’s bad news for Magdaleno.

“Most of all, I’m very excited for the mind-set that I have,” he said. “The person that’s within this ring, that’s going to be in that ring is a man who’s a king. And whoever steps in that ring, it’s my ring.”

This card will be available on Top Rank pay-per-view for $59.95.

Vasyl Lomachenko, Nicholas Walters set for what could be Nov. 26 barnburner

Posted on September 28, 2016 by Robert Morales

Vasyl Lomachenko

Vasyl Lomachenko/Photo courtesy of Top Rank Inc.

When talk of a fight between super featherweights Vasyl Lomachenko and Nicholas Walters began, the thought of it happening was enticing because these two guys are both mean hombres in the ring.

Well, an accord for the fight came to fruition Wednesday and the two will square off Nov. 26 at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas (on HBO).

Lomachenko (6-1, 4 KOs), of Ukraine, will be looking to make the first defense of the super featherweight world title he won from Roman “Rocky” Martinez via 5th-round knockout in June in New York City.

Lomachenko, who has also won a title at featherweight, said he’s stoked to be getting the opportunity “to test myself in the fight with the best.”

Walters (26-0-1, 21 KOs), a former featherweight champion who lost his belt on the scales prior to what would have been his fourth defense – against Miguel Marriaga – had a similar reaction.

“Any fighter can be knocked out no matter who he is,” said Walters, of Jamiaca. “I like fighting the best and I like fighting against great technical fighter like Lomachenko. Look at what happened when I fought a great technical fighter like Nonito Donaire. Lomachenko is great, he knows what he is doing in the ring. But I always look for a knockout against whomever I fight. If I can do it quick, I will. This is the best fight out there in boxing today. It will be the Fight of the Year.”

Walters stopped Donaire in the sixth round of a featherweight title fight in October 2014 at StubHub Center in Carson.

Longtime promoter Bob Arum shoots down foolish notion that boxing is dead

Posted on September 27, 2016 by Robert Morales

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Bob Arum/Getty Images file photo

Longtime promoter Bob Arum on Tuesday played host to a news conference in Los Angeles to formally announce the undercard for the Nov. 5 welterweight title fight between champion Jessie Vargas (27-1, 10 KOs) and Manny Pacquiao (58-6-2, 38 KOs) at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas (on Top Rank pay-per-view, $59.95).

Not one to miss an opportunity, Arum closed the proceedings by talking about how alive and well boxing is – contrary to what some think. It wasn’t long ago that an L.A.-area columnist (not from this newspaper) who doesn’t even cover boxing said boxing was dead.

“Boxing not only isn’t dead, but it’s on the cusp of a great resurgence,” Arum said on the dais at the Conga Room. “You have all of these great, young fighters from the United States, from Mexico and from all around the world who are coming to the world stage.”

While pondering that, just think of all the terrific fighters not from the U.S. or Mexico making a big splash here these days. We’re talking the likes of Gennady Golovkin, Vasyl Lomachenko, Sergey Kovalev, Kell Brook and Carl Frampton to name just five.

“We are on the cusp of really a time in boxing where people all around the world will join together to watch our great athletes perform,” Arum said.

The main undercard fight for Pacqjuiao-Vargas will have Nonito Donaire (37-3, 24 KOs) of San Leandro via the Philippines defending his super bantamweight belt against Jessie Magdaleno (23-0, 17 KOs) of Las Vegas.

Also, newly crowned featherweight champion Oscar Valdez (20-0, 18 KOs) of Mexico will defend his title against Hiroshige Osawa (30-3-4, 19 KOs) of Japan.

Finally, Zou Shiming (8-1, 2 KOs) of China and Prasitsak Papoem (39-1-2, 24 KOs) of Thailand will duke it out for a vacant flyweight world title.

Nonito Donaire knocks out Vic Darchinyan again, this time in the ninth

Posted on November 9, 2013 by Robert Morales

Nonito Donaire, behind on the scorecards, stopped Vic Darchinyan in the ninth round of their fight Saturday at American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Donaire (32-2, 21 KOs) was even on one scorecard, but behind 78-74 on the other two. He decked Darchinyan in the ninth. Darchinyan (39-6-1) got up, but was eventually stopped after absorbing more punishment, the win going down as a TKO for Donaire.

This was a rematch of their fight in July 2007 won by Donaire via fifth-round knockout.

In another fight, Demetrius Andrade (20-0) of Providence, R.I., won a vacant junior middleweight title with a 12-round split-decision over Vanes Martirosyan (33-1-1) of Glendale.

Vic Darchinyan says he won’t make same mistakes against Nonito Donaire

Posted on November 6, 2013 by Robert Morales

When Vic Darchinyan entered his flyweight title defense against Nonito Donaire in July 2007, Darchinyan was expected to defend his belt against a lesser-known Donaire. But Donaire caught Darchinyan with a left hook to the head in the fifth round, stopping Darchinyan via TKO.

Darchinyan has waited six years to get a rematch, and it will happen Saturday when they square off at American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas on the undercard of the Rocky Martinez-Mikey Garcia super featherweight title fight.

No belts are on the line for Darchinyan-Donaire, but Darchinyan probably couldn’t care less. He is going to get his shot at redemption, and he says he won’t make the same blunders he made last time. He noted that when he was decked by Donaire, he tried to get up too quickly. When he did get to his feet, he stumbled across the ring, prompting the referee to stop the fight.

“In 2007 there was the punch,” Darchinyan recalled this week. “I jumped (in) and Nonito got me with the left hook. It was the only knockdown of my life – amateur or professional. Never been knocked down. I jumped up right away. If I take a couple of seconds on the floor to recover, maybe it would have been a different outcome, you know? I had no experience with a knockdown. Now it is good – I have experience with it.

“I want to say to everyone I have been waiting six years. It was my mistake and I have good skills and I have power and I will not make the same mistake again.”

Darchinyan, 37, is 39-5-1 with 28 knockouts. Donaire, 30, is 31-2 with 30 knockouts.

A fight between stablemates Mikey Garcia and Nonito Donaire would be emotional

Posted on May 23, 2013 by Robert Morales

Robert Garcia trains his brother, featherweight champion Mikey Garcia, as well as former super bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire. The two fighters are managed by the same guy – Cameron Dunkin – as well. Heck, they are even promoted by the same guy – Bob Arum.

With all that, it’s difficult to imagine Mikey Garcia and Donaire ever fighting. However, since quality opponents for them are limited because Top Rank does not do business with rival Golden Boy Promotions, they may at some point have no choice but to square off.

Arum does not like the idea one bit.

“It doesn’t seem to me that there is a chance that it can happen,” Arum said. “They are not only trained by the same guy, they’re managed by the same guy.”
Arum said that used to be a no-no.
“You couldn’t have fighters managed by the same guy, no less guys trained by the same guy, fighting each other,” Arum said. “That never was allowed to happen. Now, apparently, nobody gives a (expletive) anymore. I just think it shouldn’t be allowed. It’s a conflict of interest. Can a lawyer represent both sides in a litigation?”

It was suggested to Arum that perhaps Robert Garcia could train his brother for that fight and Donaire could use someone else.

“I suppose that would be OK,” he said. “That wouldn’t be the same as two guys being trained by the same person and two guys managed by the same person.”

Robert Garcia really wants no part of this. But he said if the respective fighters wanted it, he would not stand in their way.

“In that situation, it would have to be Donaire’s and MIkey’s decision,” said Robert Garcia, a former super featherweight champion from Oxnard.

Robert Garcia conceded that at some point, the fight may have to happen.

“In that case the best thing to do would be for Donaire to be trained by someone else, Mikey trains with my dad (Eduardo) and me, just go and watch the fight,” said Robert Garcia, who said he and Donaire are also like brothers. “It wouldn’t be easy for me or for Cameron Dunkin. Mikey would be in great hands with my dad, so I wouldn’t worry about that.
“But I would worry about Donaire. Maybe we’re going to get to a situation where there isn’t anything else out there and that fight is going to be a big favorite and Nonito and Mikey agree. I’m not going to force them to not fight each other.”

Mikey Garcia (31-0, 26 KOs) will defend his title against former champion Juan Manuel Lopez (33-2, 30 KOs) on June 15 at American Airlines Center in Dallas (on HBO). Donaire most recently lost a unanimous decision to Guillermo Rigondeaux in a super bantamweight title-unification bout on April 13. Donaire is expected to move up to featherweight.

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