Donaire to train in Cebu for comeback fight

Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire. Photo by Chris Farina / Donaire’s official Facebook page

CEBU CITY  — Former world champion Nonito Donaire Jr. will hold a brief training camp in Cebu for his comeback bout in Manila on March 28 in Pinoy Pride 30.

ALA Promotions president Michael Aldeguer said Donaire. Jr., who lost his WBA super featherweight title in a sixth-round knockout to Nicholas Walters, will train at the ALA Gym in Cebu City.

“We will always be here to support Donaire. They will be arriving at the end of the month and he will do his training camp here,” said Aldeguer.

This is not Donaire’s first visit to Cebu as he also had a brief training camp here shortly after beating Vic Darchinyan to win his first world title in 2007.

Donaire, who is now 33-3, with 21 knockouts, will fight William Prado (22-4, 15 KOs) in the co-main event of Pinoy Pride 30 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

“He is a strong boxer and we believe he can give Donaire a good challenge,” said Aldeguer.

Prado is a perfect comeback fight for Donaire as he once for the IBF international bantamweight (118 pounds) and WBO super bantamweight (122 pounds) title, losing both fights by unanimous decision.

He also won three of his last four fights, with his latest loss, a third-round knockout to Scott Quigg last June 29, 2013. His latest win was a first-round knockout against Marcelo Bispo, who was making his debut, on April 12.

In contrast, while Prado was facing a debuting fighter in summer 2014, Donaire defended his WBA super featherweight (126 pounds) title against Simpiew Vetyeka in Macao. That was his latest win before losing his belt to the undefeated Walters (25-0, 21KOS) in California last Oct. 18, 2014.

Aside from being the former WBA 126-pound champion, Donaire was also the former 122-pound, 118-pound, 115-pound and 108-pound champion.

The other major bout in Pinoy Pride 30 is Donnie Nietes latest defense of his WBO light flyweight belt against Luis Ceja.