Donaire struggles to make weight?

Donnie “Ahas” Nietes, the longest reigning Filipino champion, will headline the popular Pinoy Pride series in its 30th installment. Nonito “The Filipino Flash" Donaire will co-featured the event against William Prado of Brazil. This will be Nietes’ first fight, after he became the longest reining Filipino champion. He surpassed the record of the great Gabriel “Flash” Elorde.

I’m in my native Philippines during the fight for a vacation. The fight penciled on 28th March at the famous Smart Araneta (formerly Araneta Coliseum, the venue of “Thrila in Manila” Ali-Fraser III). I might be present to cover the event for SPB. I will run a live blog for this event on SPB and on Twitter. Make sure to follow me on twitter @RetechSon for live updates, as Pinoy Pride 30 unfolds.

Nietes (34-1-4, 20 KO’s will be coming from fresh victory over Carlos Velarde in November last year. He then, surpassed Elorde’s record in January 2015 as the longest reigning Filipino champion. He will be defending his light flyweight title against Gilberto Parra. Sonora, Mexico’s Parra had a impressive record. He won 17 by way of knockouts out of his 19 victories.

Meanwhile, Donaire (33- 3, 21 KO's) will move back down to 122 pound division for Prado. Although it's a ten round fight, but the winner will take home the vacant North American Boxing Federation (NABF) 122 pound title. Donaire’s in a must-win situation, to rebound from a rough 2014 campaign. He was knocked out in the sixth round by the much bigger Nicholas Walters defending his featherweight title.

After the fight with Walters, Donaire admitted that his opponent was way stronger and much bigger than him. Donaire used to fight shorter opponents. This is because of his height advantage over previous opponents at the lower weight classes. Although this time, he will move back down to 122 pound, report from Ronnie Natanielsz says that Donaire “has problems making the weight”. Donaire reportedly is still around 132 pounds. That’s two weight classes higher than 122 pounds, less than 10 days before the fight.

With the above report I’m excited to find out if Donaire can still make the 122 pound division-limit, where he’s so successful. He was the consensus “2012 Fighter of the Year”, winning all four fights in the same division in 2012. Otherwise, if he struggled to make weight, I think he might go back up to featherweight. He only fought three times at the featherweight. And I believed few more fights there he will be comfortable and can deal with the legit feathers.

Unbeaten prospect, Albert Pagara will be seen in action also.