Nonito Donaire is targeting huge fights at super flyweight with Kazuto Ioka and Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez – before moving back up to chase bantamweight greatness. The former four-weight world champion, who will be 40 in November, has emphatically dismissed any idea of retiring following his brutal stoppage defeat to Naoya Inoue in June. Instead, Donaire intends on dropping down to the 115lbs division to chase fights with WBO champion Ioka and former P4P Chocolatito.
“It’s a really good fight with Chocolatito and people are saying it would be ‘legend versus legend’” Donaire told Probellum.com. “It’s a big fight. But I do like the Ioka fight as well because I want to get that title and become a five-division champion and then move back up to 118 and go for the undisputed crown once everything else is open and I get another opportunity for it.”
Donaire has revealed he was mulling over the move to super flyweight in the hours before he faced Inoue last month.
“Before the fight with Inoue, Richard Schaefer and I talked about going down to 115,” Donaire said.
“Making the weight was very simple for me and I made it quickly. I even made 117 before stepping on the scales.
“Richard and I were talking and saying that regardless of what happens here, maybe I can go down to 115 and fight the guys in that division.
“Richard is talking with Ioka’s people, with Mr Honda and he is talking to Chocolatito as well. It’s exciting, there are a lot of things to look forward to.”
Hey Lucie, I said I wanted this to happen with Donaire and Chocolatito….I told you I had it all planned out! LOL!!!! I know…time will tell!
You called it Pete!
I’m delighted he’s not retiring. I remember him saying quite awhile ago that he would have no problem making 115. Donaire – Chocolatito, on paper, sounds like some crazy hypothetical fight and, as far as I know both he and Ioka don’t have anything to do this winter. Any combination of those guys fighting, I’m all for – I also think Donaire – Nietes in the Philippines would be a big fight.
Time to retire! Great fighter but shell of the man he was. Manny he is not! Go spend time with your family!
would that be a first, 40yo dropping down in weight? Has disaster written all over it
Another one that doesn’t know when to give up the ghost. Looks like he wants to take the road of Holyfield or Livingston Bramble. Who says he would even be able to get a major fight coming off a blowout loss.
Donaire had some of his marbles jarred lose against Inoue; time to hang them up, however, I can understand not wanting to go out like the last fight on a good career.
Donaire knows how to balance his options now that he is approaching the end of his career and his belief is that at 115 he will have an edge in size and power.In size he might be right, but he is grossly wrong about power, because an athlete that is 40 in boxing and has campained even at 126 cannot maintain his strength and power draining himself 11 pounds to campaing at 115, good luck to him, but I think he will have to face Bam Rodriguez instead.
I had hoped Donaire would retire after the brutal Naoya Inuie loss but at least he will be fighting in a lower weight class with potentially less chance of getting seriously mauled. Good luck to him.
Asking for Chocolatito is a little too much. Donaire gets outclassed,broken down and brutally knocked out. Time to hang them up!
Donaire is 1 of a kind. Truly a great.
2021-“boxing experts” were in awe of Donaire. 2022-he’s a brain damaged has-been who needs to be protected from himself. In the real world, he deserves the right to make big fights to truly see what’s left.