(NI ARIEL BORLONGAN)

NAKATITIYAK si five-division world titlist Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire Jr. na mapatutunayan din niya na kaya ang ginawa ng hinahangaang kababayan na si Manny Pacquiao sa finals ng World Boxing Super Series (WBSS) laban kay IBF bantamweight champion Naoya “Monster” Inoue sa Nobyembre sa Tokyo, Japan.

Lalong humanga si Donaire kay Pacquiao nang mapabagak sa 1st round si dating WBA welterweight champion Keith Thurman upang magwagi sa 12-round split decision sa unification bout nitong Huloy 20 sa MGM Grand, Las Vegas, Nevada sa United States.

Sa edad na 37-anyos at 45 laban, naniniwala si Donaire na tatagal din siya sa boksing hanggang tumuntong ng 40-anyos.

“As long as I take care of myself like Manny has, age is nothing but a number at this point,” sabi ni Donaire sa ABS-CBN News’ North America Bureau. “What’s important is being healthy and believing in yourself and allowing yourself to prepare in the long term.”

Hindi pa batid ni Donaire ang tiyak na petsa at lugar kung saan sila magsasagupa ni Inoue sa Japan ngunit handing-handa na siya sa laban.

“We don’t know yet when or where, we’re just trying to get ourselves physically, mentally ready for anything,” ani Donaire. “We’d like to have two and a half months of training to be mentally physically ready.”

May kartada si Donaire na 40 panalo, 5 talo na may 26 pagwawagi sa knockouts at hindi pa natatalo sa bantamweight division samantalang may perpektong rekord ang 26-anyos na si Inoue na 18 panalo, 16 sa knockouts.