‘Filipino Flash’ Donaire, kumalas kay Arum sa Top Rank.
LOS ANGELES -- Bawat simula ay may katapusan. At hindi naiiba ang ugnayan ni ‘Filipino Flash’ Nonito Donaire kay promoter Bob Arum at sa Top Rank.
May isang buwan pang nalalabi sa kontrata ni Donaire sa Top Rank, ngunit ipinahayag ng magkabilang kampo ang ‘mutual decision’ na tapusin na ang naturang kasunduan upang maisulong ng Pinoy champion ang iba pang plano at oportunidad sa kanyang career, ayon sa ulat ng ESPN nitong Miyerkules (Huwebes sa Manila).
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Sa naturang tambalan, napagwagihan ng dating four-division titleholder na si Donaire ang kampeonato sa tatlong weight class at isang interim title at tinanghal na fighter of the year (2012).
"The phones have been going crazy the past couple of days. I am getting calls from everywhere -- international, East Coast, West Coast. There are a lot of opportunities out there for me," pahayag ni Donaire.
"There are a lot of big names out there I could go against. My goal is always to fight to best out of there. I've always been that way. I'm grateful for what Top Rank has done with my career. I've gotten fighter of the year, been in front of everyone on television. But I've always been excited for new opportunities. When I started boxing I didn't have the luxury of being an Olympian and having the path laid out for me. I fought my way there and conquered whatever I had to. I am very excited about the future. There's uncertainty but there is also opportunity,” aniya.
Tangan ang 37-4, 24 KOs na marka, unang napagwagihan ng 34-anyos na si Donaire ang flyweight title noong 2007 sa pangangasiwa noon ni Gary Shaw. Lumipat ang Cebuano-native sa Top Rank noong 2008.
Sa pangangasiwa ng Top Rank, napagwagihan ni Donaire ang interim junior bantamweight belt at na-unified ang world title sa bantamweight at junior featherweight. Tumaas siya ng timbang sa featherweight at nagwagi bago nagdesisyon na magbalik sa junior featherweight kung saan muli siyang naging kampeon.
Nitong Nobyembre, natalo si Donaire sa kontrobersyal na desisyon kay Jessie Magdaleno para sa junior featherweight belt. Ito ang huling laban ni Donaire sa Top Rank, ngunit nauna nang nagpahayag ng intensiyon si Magdaleno para sa rematch.
Nagawang maitapat ng Top Rank si Donaire kontra featherweight champion Oscar Valdez sa Abril, ngunit tumanggi si Donaire at hiniling na tapusin ang kanyang kontrata na natupad naman kalaunan.
"Simply, his contract [was about to run] out and they are free to explore any and all options that may come their way," sambit ni Top Rank vice president Carl Moretti.
"Wish them nothing but the best. Perhaps in the future we can do some more fights. Are we mad? Of course not. Boys get mad, men don't."
Iginiit ni Rachel Donaire, maybahay ni Nonito at tumatayong manager, na naging maayos ang naging usapan.
Aniya, plano ni Donaire na magbalik sa featherweight division kung saan naghihintay ang matitikas na mga karibal tulad nina Leo Santa Cruz, Abner Mares, Carl Frampton, Lee Selby, Jesus Cuellar and Gary Russell Jr.
Bilang free agent, umaasa si Donaire na makakatapak ng mina para sa isang pamosong laban.
