Donaire Jr ready to face 118-pound challengers

Nonito Donaire Jr. said he is ready to fight the best 118-pound fighters today, but in the event they refuse to face him inside the ring, then he has no choice but to take his act to the super bantamweight division. "I have always made known my intention to unify the bantamweight division," said the reigning World Boxing Council (WBC) and World Boxing Organization (WBO) bantamweight title holder, who was accompanied by his wife Rachel in Tuesday's PSA Forum in Manila. "But if they (bantamweight challengers) don't want to fight, there's no choice but to go up (in weight)." Donaire is set to defend his WBC and WBO titles on May 28 at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. World Boxing Association (WBA) champion Anselmo Moreno had been named as his next opponent, but a disagreement on the possible prize purse apparently forced the Panamanian to back out of the fight. At the moment, Donaire's foe remains unknown, although he has said he can choose from a list that includes Japanese Koki Kameda, Mexican Abner Mares and reigning International Boxing Federation (IBF) titlist Joseph Agbeko of Ghana. Standing at 5-foot-6, the lanky, 28-year-old two-time world champion said he can go up as far as featherweight (126 lbs) and super-featherweight (130 lbs) after going down to as low as 112 lbs, where he won the IBF flyweight title with that spectacular fifth-round knockout of fearsome Vic Darchinyan. "But going to 130 is still a long way off. I'm taking it step by step," Donaire said. Despite not knowing yet whom he will next face in the ring, the fighter dubbed the 'Filipino Flash' is not taking any chances. "The game plan now is just to be in shape," said the fighter who, just a month ago, needed only two rounds to destroy durable Mexican Fernando Montiel to win the WBC and WBO bantamweight belts. "By the end of the month, I will return to the U.S. and start my training," added Donaire. The Talibon, Bohol-born fighter also remained non-committal on whether he would sign another promotional contract with Top Rank's Bob Arum. Donaire's contract with Top Rank is set to expire, but he said his lawyer and long-time manager, Cameron Dunkin, are the ones taking care of the matter. - JVP, KY, GMA News