Donaire aims to silence brash-talking Puerto Rican foe

Nonito Donaire Jr. and Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. haven't met officially inside the ring but the Puerto Rican boxer has already courted trouble. The Filipino Flash, aside from aiming to win the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) super-bantamweight title, also wants to shut up the brash-talking Puerto Rican when they cross paths Saturday night (Sunday afternoon, Manila time). Donaire and Vazquez will be facing off in the undercard bout of the Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.-Marco Antonio Rubio World Boxing Council (WBC) middleweight title match at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.  The Talibon, Bohol province native has been vocal about his dislike of the son and namesake of former three-division world champion Wilfredo Vazquez following what he felt had been an obvious disrespect on him by the Puerto Rican. Although Donaire was civil in his dealings with Vazquez, his animosity with the Puerto Rican fighter escalated when they arrived in Texas City in the week leading to the bout. It all started in one simple tweet by Vazquez’s wife saying that Donaire is scared of her husband. The incident escalated further when Vazquez tried to move Donaire's cap when the two posed during the final press conference of the fight promotion. In turn, the Filipino pulled off the skull-cap of the Puerto Rican, igniting a shoving and shouting exchange between the two camps. "What I've heard so far is music to my ears," said Donaire on the eve of the fight. "What they've said has really fired me up." Cameron Dunkin, Donaire's manager, said he is worried of what awaits Vazquez in the ring. "This is the same anger that Nonito had toward (Vic) Darchinyan when Darchinyan just treated him horribly before they fought. It's also the exact same thing that he went through with (Fernando) Montiel," said Dunkin of the cocky, two former world champions, both of whom crumpled under Donaire's power. "That's the only other time that Nonito was treated like this, and both times, you saw what happened. Usually, when you make Nonito Donaire mad, he doesn't go crazy, he just gets even. So I hope and pray that's what happens (Saturday) night." Both fighters made the weight without a hitch. Donaire came in at 121.6 pounds while Vazquez at exactly 122. Donaire (27-1, with 18 knockouts) is on a nine-year match winning streak. He previously held the International Boxing Federation (IBF) flyweight crown, and recently, the World Boxing Council (WBC) and WBO bantamweight titles. In both times he won the flyweight and bantamweight titles, it came at the expense of Darchinyan and Montiel, respectively. "This guy (Vazquez) is very confident, very cocky, very sure of himself, and he has no fear. Plus, they hate each other. So it's going to be a very good fight, believe me," added Dunkin. The 29-year-old Filipino is coming off a 12-round unanimous decision win over Omar Narvaez of Argentina to retain his bantamweight belts, before deciding to move up in weight at the end of 2011. Vazquez (21-1-1, with 18 KOs) once held the WBO super-bantamweight crown, which he lost to Jorge Arce in a 12-round technical knockout in the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao-Sugar Shane Mosley welterweight title match. Veteran referee Rafael Ramos will be the third man on the ring, while the three judges scoring the bout are Levi Martinez of New Mexico, Donald Trella of Connecticut and Ruben Garcia of Texas. — JVP, GMA News