Nonito Donaire's Long Journey Finally Brings Him Back To American TV

Nonito Donaire was poised to be the next big boxing star when he knocked out the unbeaten knockout artist Vic Darchinyan on July 7, 2007.

With the win, Donaire became the IBO and IBF flyweight champion. He also took away the mystique of Darchinyan with a punishing knockout.

Since then, he has defended his flyweight titles three times and moved up to claim an interim title at super flyweight. Donaire has beaten some solid fighters, but no fighters with big names.

Still, he is highly rated in The Ring rankings. Donaire is No. 4 pound for pound, seventh in the super flyweight rankings, and is the top ranked boxer by boxrec.com in their super flyweight rankings.

Although he is still highly rated, one thing has been missing since his knockout win over Darchinyan: an American audience. Donaire fought on Showtime once since the Darchinyan. Most of his fights have been held on small pay-per-view events.

The reason he was toiling in anonymity fell on his promoter, Top Rank, and the lack of men willing to fight him.

The rematch with Darchinyan never came to fruition for reasons unknown, a fight with Jorge Arce couldn’t be hammered out either, and Fernando Montiel was lined up but moved up in weight instead.

Donaire again faces an unknown fighter in Hernan Marquez this Saturday. The difference, though, is that this time the fight will be televised on Showtime.

Will a win put Donaire back on track for superstardom? Probably not, but it will get his name back into American fight fans heads.

Marquez was upset in his last fight by fellow Filipino fighter Richie Mepranum. The level of competition hasn’t changed, but the audience has.

One other key element has also changed for Donaire—he now has a plan for himself, and it doesn’t involve Darchinyan.

He plans on moving up to 118 pounds and targeting Fernando Montiel again. If he cant get Montiel into the ring, he plans on going after another title at 118.

If he can win a title at 118, Donaire plans on then moving up again to 122 and facing a prominent fighter. It is obvious from here on out Donaire wants big names and nothing else.

Some of his prime has been wasted, but at 27 he has time to make a big mark on the fight game. He is already a two division champion and certainly has the skills to win a title in three or four divisions.

Finally Donaire finds himself back on American television, and he plans to do the most with it. With a win this Saturday he will surely be in line for the bigger fights and bigger paydays he is looking for.

He should handle Marquez easily this weekend and then move on to bigger and better things. He is a extremely talented fighter and a likeable guy.

Hopefully with better matchmaking and exciting wins “The Filipino Flash” can flash up the rankings even faster.