According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Gerson Guerrero, who was to challenge Nonito Donaire this Saturday night for an interim 115 lbs title, failed his eye exam and Donaire’s promoter Top Rank is scrambling to find a new opponent to headline this Saturday’s Pay Per View event in las Vegas.
Top Rank Matchmaker Brad Goodman has a short list of opponents to may fill the void.
On Goodman’s short list of potential replacements are two other fighters from Mexico: Manuel Vargas (26-4-1, 11 KOs), a former interim strawweight titlist who has also fought as a flyweight, and Hugo Ruiz (22-1, 21 KOs). Goodman attempted to line up former junior bantamweight titlist Jose “Carita” Lopez of Puerto Rico for the bout, but he was nowhere close to the 115-pound weight limit.
“I guess [Guerrero] has some sort of eye problem, but I am just ready for this fight,” Donaire told ESPN.com moments after being told of the issue. “I’ve always been prepared to fight anybody. I can adapt to any changes. I am ready for anything. Whoever they put in, I’m ready if Guerrero can’t make it. So be it.”
Donaire said, if necessary, he was willing to make Saturday’s fight in the 118-pound bantamweight division.
“As long as I get to fight, I am happy,” Donaire said.
Cameron Dunkin, Donaire’s manager, was consulting with Goodman about a new opponent.
“Nonito used to tell all the time that before I managed him, he never knew who he was fighting and he would take fights on short notice,” Dunkin said. “He would say, ‘I am ready for anybody. I’ll work it out. Just let me know who it is and I’ll be ready to go.’ We’ll get somebody and fight because Nonito is a fighter. A lot of guys would be blaming and complaining, but he’s not like that. He’s got a big smile on his face and says he’s just ready to go.”
