Nonito ‘The Filipino Flash’ Donaire Jr. will face World Boxing Association (WBA) bantamweight champion Seiya Tsutsumi on December 17 at the Ryogoku Kokugikan Sumo Arena in Tokyo, Japan.
Donaire, the interim World Boxing Association (WBA) bantamweight champion, seeks to become the third-oldest world boxing champion at 43 after American heavyweight world champion Bernard Hopkins at 49 and George Foreman at 45.
He trains at the Omega Boxing Gym in Mandaue.
‘His mindset is so clear, and that is to become the third-oldest active world boxing champ,’ trainer Julius Erving Junco told the BusinessMirror from Mandaue in Cebu on Friday. ‘He has a good training camp here, and he’s in great shape, no injuries.’
Donaire, who holds a 43-8 win-loss record with 28 knockouts, will turn 43 on November 16.
The bout is presented by Teiken Promotions
‘There is no problem in his training. He cannot take Tsutsumi lightly. I believe Nonito’s experience and punching power will take over the fight and he will become a world champion soon.’
He is coming off a technical decision triumph over Andres Campos of Argentina last June to claim the interim crown, and he is now facing the unbeaten Japanese Tsutsumi who is sporting a 12-0-3 win-loss-draw record with eight knockouts.
Donaire Jr. arrived in Cebu on November 1 with wife Rachel and kids.
He hoping to join current Filipino world boxing champions World Boxing Council minimum weight champion Melvin Jerusalem and International Boxing Federation (IBF) minimum weight champion Pedro Taduran.