Exclusive Q and A with future Hall of Famer Nonito Donaire

Nonito Donaire is humbled by the comparison, but the truth is undeniable: “The Filipino Flash” has become the face of boxing for the Philippines following eight-division champion Manny Pacquiao’s retirement after a unanimous decision loss to WBA 147-pound champion Yordenis Ugas in August.

Life is truly good for Donaire, a five-division, nine-time champion who married the love of his life and current trainer, Rachel, in August 2008, has two sons, Jarel, 8, and Logan, 6, and has mended a once contentious relationship with father and former cornerman, Nonito Sr.

A natural right-hander with the ability to fight out of the southpaw stance, Donaire turned 39 on Nov. 16, making him the second-oldest reigning titleholder behind IBF 160-pound titleholder Gennady Golovkin, whose birthday was in April.

Donaire is also the first man to become a world champion three times at 118 pounds, a division in which he is 12–1 (8 KOs). His world championships have spanned the 2000s, 2010s and 2020s, placing him in rarified air with five others in Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather, Evander Holyfield, Bernard Hopkins and Erik Morales.

“The Filipino Flash” is 4-2 (4 KOs) in his past six fights, including 4-1 at 118 pounds. The stoppage victories came against opponents whose combined record was 79-1-3 (48 KOs) at the time Donaire faced them, with three of them being previously undefeated.

During that time, Donaire has scored fourth-round knockouts of Ryan Bennett (19-0, 9 KOs), Nordine Oubaali (17-0, 12 KOs) and Filipino countryman Reymart Gaballo (24-0, 20 KOs), with a sixth-round stoppage of southpaw Stephen Young (18-1-3, 7 KOs).

In April 2018, Donaire lost a 126-pound bout by unanimous decision to once-beaten, two-division champion Carl Frampton before dropping into the 118-pound weight class for the first time since November 2011.

Donaire dethroned Burnett as WBA champion in In November 2018, his first defense in April 2019 being the knockout of Young to reach the World Boxing Super Series’ finals that November opposite Japanese IBF counterpart Naoya Inoue.

Inoue battled his way to a unanimous decision victory over Donaire, who announced “The king has returned” in May 2021 with a sensational three-knockdown stoppage of Oubaali ending a 16-month ring absence.

In victory, the then 38-year-old Donaire earned the WBC 118-pound title, becoming the oldest-ever bantamweight world champion and returning with last Saturday’s paralyzing fourth-round, liver-shot knockout of Gaballo.

Donaire spoke to Maxboxing for this Q&A:

Maxboxing: Are you the face of boxing now that Manny Pacquiao has retired?

Nonito Donaire: I would be honored of course [to be the face of boxing] as I only strive to be the best man I can be and want to be an example of putting my best foot forward.

I always thought the problem before is we focus on one person to raise our flag. The Philippines is a hotbed of talent and I believe all of us raising the Philippine flag should be our focus, with the emphasis of a positive impact on the future of our youth.

Maxboxing: How does your marriage work, let alone, having your wife as your trainer, particularly against Gaballo?

ND: She was telling me to come down a little bit lower with my punches, throw the jab, feint here and there, all of that stuff that I used to set up my opponent were coming from her as well as the body shot,

That’s what we worked on. That was one of the weapons she developed for me. Without her, I’m a headhunter, so the person that really got me to do that was Rachel. The biggest thing in my victory is that she trained me to set up the body shot.

She’s a strong woman. She’ll go out there and fight battles that warriors fight. I’m more like if it ain’t worth my time, I ain’t gonna say nothing. For both of us, it’s a case of having each other’s backs.

If I want something clarified for me, she’ll be right there behind me and pushing me. We support each other 100 percent. When people start talking smack about her and disrespecting her, I can get pretty angry. I’m a man who will protect my wife.

Maxboxing: How about the relationship with Nonito Sr?

ND: We’ve had our relationship problems, but we have an understanding. He knows where he’s at, and I know where I’m at.

I respect what he wants to do, and he respects what I want to do. We’re at a great place in our relationship where we respect each other’s decisions.”

Maxboxing: How are you continuing to defy father time?

ND: Eating healthy and training really well and listening to my body, along with Rachel’s strength and conditioning. We push our mind and body to the limit. When we get back to Las Vegas, we’ll go back to the gym and train healthy. A lot of it is the mindset. I do a lot of meditation.

I do a lot of self-realization and a lot of book reading as well to enhance my mindset. I allow my mind to be very strong. I don’t have any cheat days. It’s a choice. It’s a choice to be happy and to be disciplined. I know that I’m capable of beating anybody.

Maxboxing: Were there times, such as after your losses to Guillermo Rigondeaux (April 2013), the knockout to Nicholas Walters (October 2014), Jessie Magdaleno (November 2016), and Carl Frampton (April 2018) where you were at your lowest?

ND: For me, those were times of soul-searching and finding myself. I wasn’t mentally into it. I was at a low, so it was about finding myself. A loss is a loss, and I wasn’t there, mentally. I was searching for something different.

But I lacked motivation and inspiration. I was just there. Back then, I was like, “Who in the hell am I?” and, “What do I wanna do?” I didn’t have a purpose. Now, I have a purpose, and I know what I’m capable of.

Maxboxing: Are you a four or five-time champion given you won the WBC’s interim-115-pound title by unanimous decision over Rafael Concepcion (August 2009)?

ND: I’ve won championships at 112, 118, 122 and 126, but I also look at it as if I’m a five-division champion because I won the [115-pound] interim title.

I’ve always considered myself as a five-division champion. But that’s why I’m willing to go back to 115 to win a [legitimate championship] and put a stamp on it.

Maxboxing: Why did you lose to Naoya Inoue?

ND: I didn’t have the right strategy. I was sort of going with the flow. I would fight here and there, using my power. That’s why I want the rematch. Next time I’ll have a good strategy, which I did not have against Inoue in that first fight.

I’ve always had the heart and the work ethic. But in the rematch, I’ll bring more speed, more power, more head movement and all of the above. I’ll have everything that’s necessary to win the fight.

Maxboxing: Can you discuss the enduring power in your left hook and your left hand in general?

ND: Fundamentals. It all comes down to fundamentals and generating power through your entire body and not just your arms. I don’t actually think about it. It’s just automatic when I throw it.

Maxboxing: How much longer do you see yourself fighting?

ND: I see myself doing this for a long time. Now I know people would think that’s crazy but I do feel really good. Right now I’m just focusing on being undisputed and when I accomplish that, if the hunger is still there, then we’ll see.