Nonito Donaire faces expectations that are growing into a challenge more dangerous than even Fernando Montiel. The next Manny Pacquaio? The next bantamweight champion should be enough, but it isn’t for an audience and nation that apparently thinks Donaire will be the next Filipino boxer to visit the White House.
The next syndrome has undercut countless other careers. The next John Wooden never had a chance. Unfortunate Roger Maris could never be the next Babe Ruth. But here’s Donaire, a good fighter, already being asked to satisfy the Filipino appetite for another Pacquiao. There will only be one, especially after Pacquiao’s visit with President Obama further cemented a unique ascendancy to stardom attained by few.
Donaire (25-1, 17 KOs) can beat the accomplished Montiel. He is still this corner’s pick by decision. Donaire’s recent victories, including a fourth-round dismantling of Volodymyr Sydorenko, are full of signs that indicate he is a fighter just entering his prime. Donaire is bigger than Montiel. Younger than Montiel. He looks more like a featherweight than a bantamweight.
But doubts have increased with each headline calling him the next this and the next that. There are a lot of longtime ringsiders who think Donaire only will be Montiel’s next knockout victim. For Donaire, the coincidence of Pacquiao’s visit with President Obama a few days before opening bell Saturday night at Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay only heightens the pressure on him to do what is impossible.
At Thursday’s news conference, Montiel had the benefit of lessons from a country that already has learned from the perils of searching for the next Julio Cesar Chavez. In Mexico, there will only be one Chavez.
“No one’s ever going to be Julio Cesar Chavez,’’ said Montiel (44-2-2, 34 KOs), who wants to become the first Mexican to win titles in four weight classes. “No one is ever going to come close to that.”
For Montiel, that acknowledgement allows him to be himself. For Donaire, there’s a lingering question about whether all of the attention on Pacquiao will be a distraction — a feint that takes his focus off the danger in front of him. There’s some irony in that. Pacquiao’s last fight was preceded by swirling stories about distractions that were supposed to have been his undoing against Antonio Margarito. Pacquiao conquered them and Margarito.
“I will be very happy if Nonito Donaire continues to win and beats all the top fighters and reaches the prominent position he is capable of,’’ promoter Bob Arum said.
But, Arum warned, Muhammad Ali couldn’t be cloned.
“You couldn’t duplicate Sugar Ray Leonard,” Arum said. “You can’t duplicate. But you forge your own story and that’s what Nonito is in the process of doing.
“It remains to be seen whether it resonates as much as Pacquiao or Leonard or one of these other guys.
“He is trying to create a great story for himself.’’
If Donaire’s story is about anybody else Saturday night, he’ll have to create a comeback.
