By Vivek Wallace – Next Saturday, the world of boxing will look on as Filipino Nonito Donaire (27-1, 17KO’s) squares off against Mexican Fernando Montiel (44-2-2, 34KO’s) in a showdown that could rank as one of the best fights of the year when all is said and done. For the past few years, anytime you hear about the country of the Philippines in the sport of boxing, it was synonymous with one name and one name only. Within the next few days that may change, as most of the fight public will get a chance to finally see a man most expect to carry the torch for the humble nation when congressman Manny Pacquiao finally decides it’s time to hang the gloves up..
With both fighters fighting under the Top Rank banner, one would think there would be more unity between the two camps; however, the separate career paths have gone down vastly different trails, and according to some, they may never quite find any parallels beyond the proud ancestry they bear to heart!
For Pacquiao, fame seemed to come overnight, and at the height of his phenomenal rise, he reached a cult rock star type status which he continues to enjoy to this day. For Donaire, the future looks bright, yet the great explosion enjoyed by Pacquiao has yet to surface, as many outside of his homeland know very little about his talent, and even less about his person.
In Pacquiao you have a very explosive component which makes him a rare jewel in today’s boxing landscape, not quite seen since the early days of a young Mike Tyson. In Donaire, you have a more tactical approach. One filled with more fundamentals than flaws, and perhaps more passion than pause, but in the end, the results have remained on par for the course.
A silky delivery of his craft makes Donaire a very interesting prospect to watch, and as next Saturday night approaches, the 28 year old California resident knows full well the time to show and prove is now. But is he ready? Is he truly ready to step beyond the shadow of Manny Pacquiao to create his own identity as the “next best” talent to represent the Philippines? In the ring that may be a question, but outside of it, there’s no question, the two men think in ways that remain worlds apart.
In a recent interview, Donaire was asked about the randomized blood based steroid testing that his fellow countryman has categorically declined, and his response was candid, and very clear. Donaire would respond in saying “I’m willing to take any test that you have to offer, just in case that there my be any doubters out there. At any time, at any moment, at any second. You can come and take a test with me any time of day where there is no preparation on my part to hide anything”. He concluded his statement in saying “If they want to do it 24-7, throughout the entire year, then I’ll be there”.
This by no means makes one man innocent and the other guilty, but it truly adds more questions to a scenario that has seen far more raised than answered. Beyond that, it also goes a long way in the establishment of one mans quest to find his own identity. Not a bad way to start this mission, but come next Saturday night, he’ll have to complete it, and it won’t be an easy task as Montiel is more than capable of not only answering many of the questions around him, but subsequently removing all doubt! Stay tuned!
(Vivek Wallace can be reached at vivexemail@yahoo.com, 954-292-7346, Youtube (VIVEK1251), Twitter (VIVEKWALLACE747), Skype (VITO-BOXING), and Facebook).