Donaire learning from Pacquiao: talk less; let fists do the noise

“Talent is God given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful.” — JOHN WOODEN

By Alex P. Vidal

Nonito Donaire

The reason why Manny Pacquiao is so popular and adored even by fans of his opponents until today is because he talks less and allows his fists do the noise in the ring; or when Pacquiao opens his mouth, he makes sure he doesn’t sound like a moron.

We have personally interviewed almost all of Pacquiao’s foes in the United States and none of them has issued slanderous remarks against his person (except Floyd Mayweather Jr. who accused him of steroids abuse).
In fact, most of them have nothing but respect and adulation for the 34-year-old congressman-cum-boxer even after they have been vanquished. Pacquiao ended up as hero for them (for allowing them to earn much and breach the $1 million purse bracket), not as conqueror.

Instead of hating Pacquiao for the humiliation they got in the ring, most of them became his friends and even attended his birthday bash. Pacquiao has proven that he could be his rivals’ worst torturer in sports and best “business partner” in and outside the square jungle.

FORGIVE

Unlike Sugar Ray Leonard who could not forgive Roberto Duran for calling his wife “puta” (whore); unlike Evander Holyfield who could not shake hands with Mike Tyson for threatening to “eat his children” and for chewing off a piece of his ear.

Pacquiao has lived a dignified life as a professional athlete that even sports scribes in the United States wouldn’t equate his savagery inside the ring to the violent culture institutionalized by Abu Sayyaf in his birthplace in Mindanao.

Coming from the same roots in General Santos City, Mindanao, Filipino-American Nonito “The Flash” Donaire Jr. (31-2, 20 KOs) could steamroll an elephant with a monster punch, but doesn’t have Pacquiao’s charisma. And so he is trying to inch a little closer to Pacquiao’s magnetism by saying less than necessary.

ENGAGE

Donaire, who will turn 30 on Nov. 16, has refused to engage his opponents in unnecessary word war. In his remarch with Vic “The Raging Bull” Darchinyan (39-5-1, 28 KOs) of Armenia on Nov. 9 in Corpus Christi, Texas, Donaire didn’t allow Darchinyan to provoke him psychologically.

Darchinyan, 37, almost exclusively promoted his rematch with Donaire with his umbrage for the man who ruined his profitable fistic career six years ago.

“I didn’t know who he was six years ago,” growled Darchinyan. “I made him. No one ever heard of him. He was the number eight or nine contender. Everyone knows if he didn’t get me with the left hook, I would knock him out. I was coming out for a big punch. Everyone thinks he is a big deal.”

Darchinyan billowed further: “I am still looking for the knockout. This time I won’t be silly with one punch. This time I will use my skill. I know he is scared and chicken. I am coming to prove it. I have been in with him, I know how scared he is of my punches. I will come and demolish him. I am coming to destroy him. I made him. I am coming to break him.”

READY

“Mentally I am ready for this fight. I am coming to send him to retirement. It is going to be a great fight. I will be ready. I am coming to destroy him. I am coming to beat the 2012 Fighter of the Year. I want to prove to everyone he is no one,” Darchinyan concluded.

Donaire’s reply: “There’s already a lot of tension as you know. ‘I make him and break him.’ That’s from Darchinyan. I expected as much from Darchinyan. You know, I thought that age would subside a little bit of the hatred, but apparently not. Which is why I say that this fight is going to be an incredible fight, because of the fact that for them six years, I have taken everything away from him, everything that he has worked for all his life.”